It’s a fact that crimes cannot be totally eradicated. They can be reduced and managed but they continue to be committed around the world. Where people go hungry and have dark motives towards others, there’s bound to be criminal incidents.
In the U.S., however, recent statistics reveal a decline in violent crimes particularly in the first half 2013. The Federal Bureau of Investigation noted that violent crimes including murders dropped by 5.4 percent in the first six months of last year compared with the same period in 2012.
Additionally, the U.S. violent crime rate has been cut in half in the past two decades up to 2012. Since 2007, incidents went down from 471.8 to 386.9 per 100,000 people.
Drop in Crime Rate
Data from the FBI showed that murders went down by 6.9 percent, aggravated assaults by 6.6 percent and robberies by 1.8 percent. In terms of percentage, the biggest drop-off was in arson at 15.6 percent.
The biggest drop in violent crimes was noted in the small cities and rural areas. Region-wise, the reduction was greatest in the Midwest part of the U.S.
FBI revealed that in cities with a population of less than 100,000, the crime rate fell by 9.2 percent while those in the metropolitan areas dropped by only 3.6 percent.
Additionally in the Midwest, violent crimes fell by 7.4 percent. Next in line was the southern region which recorded a 5.9 percent and the northeast part with 4.3 percent.
As for property crimes, the decrease was 12 percent in the rural areas while the drop in the metropolitan counties.
The analysis on the declining crime rate was based on reports gathered from 12,723 law enforcement agencies.
Reasons Behind Rise in Crimes
It has been noted that areas with thriving economies continue to deal with higher crime rate contrary to those in the rural areas. A senior fellow at the Urban Institute, John Roman, pointed out that several factors could behind the rise in crimes in the metropolitan centers.
One such factor is the shift in local demographics. Roman explained that it’s normal for big cities to attract young people including those with low skills. Oftentimes, these young males with not enough skills are prompted to commit criminal acts in a desperate move to find work.
Another factor that could drive up crime rates is the reporting of crime trend in a particular area. Roman said that more crimes usually get reported when police authorities announce their move of cracking down on crimes.
Drug use is also a major factor in the commission of crimes in cities. It is when police crack down on prescription pill abuse that drug users often turn to the black market to buy their supply of heroin.
Criminal lawyers also play a significant role in persecuting criminals found guilty of violent crimes. A Los Angeles criminal lawyer is the best person to consult if you are in the L.A. area and are a victim of a violent crime and want to pursue a case against the suspect. Make sure that you choose the right legal counsel you can be comfortable with.
With this reduction in violent crime rate, U.S. residents have a reason not to worry too much. The FBI has said that the U.S. is becoming safer for people almost every year. While threats from various terrorist groups remain, it’s best to be vigilant.
