FBI reports US murder (and robbery) rate increases

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-12-19T161027Z_01_SPI958203_RTRUKOC_0_US-CRIME-FBI.xml&archived=False

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Murders across the United States increased by more than 2 percent from January through June while the overall crime rate continued its downward trend, the FBI reported on Monday.

The federal law enforcement agency said the largest jump in murders, totaling 13 percent, occurred in cities with fewer than 10,000 people. The number of murders went up by 2.3 percent in metropolitan areas.

Murders increased in all regions of the nation, rising 4.9 percent in the Midwest, 2.2 percent in the South, 1.9 percent in the Northeast and 0.2 percent in the West.

The other violent crime category that showed an increase in the first half of the year was robbery, which rose by 0.6 percent. For the remaining two categories of violent crimes, rapes decreased by 4.7 percent and aggravated assault declined 0.7 percent.

...more...

or maybe death isnt a deturant or a penalty of any sort:shrug:

who woulda thunk it???

and I seriously doubt the rate of rape has dropped 4.7%- much more likely that the rate of reporting rape has dropped. Women know that reporting is now more likely to lead to revictimization than ever before.

:eyes:

It seems to me that:

1. The death penalty isn't a deterrent of any kind. It is simply revenge after the fact.
2. You get a choice. You pay more for social services and training programmes and health insurance...or you pay more for jails and punishment. You can't totally avoid paying at either end, but you get a choice as to where the most money goes and that choice determines what kind of society you live in.
3. When the economy goes in the tank, the crime rate goes up.....and the more judgemental people become about those crimes.

I have a police scanner and I have heard a spike in armed robbery calls of late.

Probably safer in jail for a lot of people right now.

No surprise..

Frustration plays out in violence. It's true in the middle east and it's true here.

There are a whole lot of 15-40 yr old men who cannot find meaning in their lives..they cannot find meaningful jobs, cannot support themselves or their families. When someone feels worthless, they do terrible things..

I am NOT excusing their behavior, but hopelessness messes with people's minds.

For instance the murder rate in NYC in the 2001 was: "646 people" (?!)
http://www.jointogether.org/gv/news/summaries/reader/0,2061,555972,00.html

So 9/11/2001 didn't happen? Wasn't murder? or perhaps it just didn't fit with whatever point they think they are making with these cherry-picked numbers.

They don't track white collar crimes at all and a few white collar crimes can total far more in total dollars than all the little petty thefts they track. They don't track election thefts. They don't track stock frauds (MCI/Worldcom, Enron, etc.)