Crime in the United States dropped dramatically in 2009, bucking a historical trend that links rising crime rates to economic woes. Property crimes and violent offenses each declined about 5 percent, the FBI said Monday, citing reports from law enforcement coast to coast. It was the third straight year of declines, and this year’s drops were even steeper than those of 2007 and 2008, despite the recession.
The FBI collected the crime data from more than 13,000 law enforcement agencies around the country. According to the numbers, all four measured categories of violent crime declined compared with 2008 – robbery, murder, aggravated assault and forcible rape.
* Violent crime declined 4 percent in metropolitan counties and 3 percent elsewhere, the FBI reported.
* Nationwide, the murder rate was down 7.2 percent last year.
* The largest decrease in murders – 7.5 percent – took place in cities of half a million to a million in population. The only increase – 5.3 percent – occurred in cities with 25,000 to 50,000 people.
* Robbery dropped 8.1 percent, aggravated assault declined 4.2 percent and forcible rape was down 3.1 percent.
* Violent crime fell 6.6 percent in the South, 5.6 percent in the West, 4.6 percent in the Midwest and 3.5 percent in the Northeast.
My opinion? That’s good news. It debunks any theories that economic recessions leads to increased crime rates. I, for one, haven’t seen a dramatic increase in crime – except for maybe low-level street drugs like heroin – since the recession hit. Still despite the successful efforts of law enforcement’s endeavors, we should not be too quick to pat ourselves on the back.
Please contact my office if you, a friend or family member are charged with a crime. Hiring an effective and competent defense attorney is the first and best step toward justice.
