Correlation
The Paper of Making Up The Record notes:
Steady Decline in Major Crime Baffles Experts.
The number of violent crimes in the United States dropped significantly last year, to what appeared to be the lowest rate in nearly 40 years, a development that was considered puzzling partly because it ran counter to the prevailing expectation that crime would increase during a recession.
In all regions, the country appears to be safer. The odds of being murdered or robbed are now less than half of what they were in the early 1990s, when violent crime peaked in the United States
Lets see, since the 1990s, more folks have bought more guns. And a lot more states legalized carrying firearms.
May 25th, 2011 at 9:10 am
And when did that AWB end? 😉
May 25th, 2011 at 9:40 am
It is true, the only single item that can be found to keep the crime rate in check is ccw, all other indicators it should be going insane, but some think it is the lull before the storm
May 25th, 2011 at 9:46 am
I will make a brilliant yet gutsy prediction now: The increase in the carry rate will never be suggested by the MSM as a cause for the decrease in violent crime.
Thanks, I’ll be here all week.
May 25th, 2011 at 9:52 am
I think the drop correlates to an increase in magical thinking.
May 25th, 2011 at 9:55 am
Considering the coming elections in 2012. I wonder if the guns and ammo ‘Salesman of the Year(-in-chief)’ will be taking credit for this ‘baffling’ occurrence as well?
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May 25th, 2011 at 10:24 am
Markie Marxist sez: “It’s the stupid increase in the stupid number of those stupid CCW holders! They’re having a discouraging effect on our Marxist/warrior/hero/criminals! We knew this would happen! That’s why we fought CCW so hard! We were screaming about blood in the streets and still people ignored us! Now our criminals are afraid to rip off capitalism and bring down America! Violent crime is down! See what happens when we commies don’t get our way? It’s awful! Where’s my cell phone?! I’m calling Ladd Everitt right now! And Michael Moore had better get hot too! We need another anti-gun propaganda film out of him pronto! He’s been just sitting around getting fat for too long! And Helmke! Don’t get me started on Hemlke! The man defines uselessness! Aaarrrrgggghhh!”
May 25th, 2011 at 10:52 am
Wonder if they factored in the DGC in their Stats? If those who aren’t applying for their Darwin Award don’t try to assault an Armed Citizen, then that should cause the numbers to drop, I’d think.
May 25th, 2011 at 12:08 pm
As a major crime expert, in a big city, I must admit that I’m baffled by this decline in crime. But what is this “CCW” thing that people keep talking about? I’ve never heard of it.
May 25th, 2011 at 2:01 pm
But, it has been found that more crime is going unreported, and some police depts have unstated policies to degrade some crimes into lower classes of crime. Plus some police depts will not even respond to cetain types of calls anymore. You have to go to the station and submit a report ( or do it online ). A lot of people just say “screw it” and go on.
May 25th, 2011 at 4:43 pm
The experts are always either surprised or baffled. They’re often disappointed as well, but they won’t say it.
May 25th, 2011 at 5:21 pm
The article said,
“There was no immediate consensus to explain the drop. But some experts said the figures collided with theories about correlations between crime, unemployment and the number of people in prison.”
Well, I’m sure that whatever the explanation, they would say it wasn’t more citizens with guns.
May 25th, 2011 at 6:16 pm
Gun control: turns out it’s unpopular.
May 25th, 2011 at 6:21 pm
I’ll put five bucks on “cooking the books”. It’s SOP in the UK, why not here too?
I would suspect an increase in long term prison sentences for offenders, mainly repeaters, but not every state has eliminated parole and implemented truth in sentencing policies. Keeping violent criminals in prison until they’re too old to resume their former life works, but states where criminals are in charge tend not to pursue that.