Yes

by Wayne Leon Learmond

Created on: February 04, 2012

Crime, it destroys lives, devastates families and rips apart society. Crime has to be the number one subject that worries people the most. This is closely followed by personal debt, immigration, and the weather. No other subject holds such a monopoly over peoples lives. Crime is so rife that it indeed holds a monopoly over peoples everyday lives. Not one day passes by when the news is not filled with another mugging, burglary, shooting, knifing or murder. Crime is so widespread that it affects virtually every part of society.

For instance, within the United Kingdom, muggings by knifepoint rose to 10 per cent, last year 2011. Yet, for 20 years, crime within the United States has been falling. So, from 1991, crime in America has been continually falling to the confusion of all concerned. This is especially puzzling when one considers that America, like other countries, has been caught in the grip of a recession. This has resulted in record foreclosures, personal debts and a rise in unemployment. There are many factors as to why crime has continued to fall within the United States for a twenty year period. Some have said the ‘Obama’ effect has played its part.

With the rise to power of America’s first black President, this could have inspired black youths [and males in particular] to a new sense of motivation. Now, anything becomes possible within the United States, regardless of race, color or creed. Black youths, because of the election of Barack Obama, could now see themselves achieving so much more than they ever thought possible. His rise to the pinnacle of the most powerful position on earth has truly made black youths sit up and take notice.

Others state that it is the rise in technology, and computer games in particular, that is keeping people off the streets. Indeed, computer games have become so much more realistic as the years have gone by. Now, the games can be played against anyone in the world, and competition is rife within the homes of Americans everywhere. This, in turn, could be one of the causes in the fall in crime out on the streets.

The lack of demand in crack cocaine could be another reason for the fall in crime within the United States. As the word spread around about how dangerous the drug was/is, and with aggressive policing of those who bought and dealt in the drug, drug users felt it was no longer viable, or worth their time. Because of the lack of users of the drug, crime fell, so the theory goes.

Motorists, registering their number plates within their local police station in Texas, saw car crime fall by 40 per cent. This cannot be looked upon as a coincidence. What motorists have done is given police the licence to stop their car, if it is seen out late on the road. Police will then confirm with the driver, that he or she is the true owner of the vehicle.

Again, the rise in telephone technology - most notably cell phone technology - may have put many potential muggers off. These days nearly everyone carries a cell phone on their person. One of the theories is that would-be muggers are put off by the fact that they could be ‘filmed‘ by members of the general public, if they tried to attack and mug someone.

The fact remains that the crime statistics within the United States has been falling steadily for 20 years without any sign of it ending yet. Whatever the reason, this of course has to be welcomed and because of the fall in crime, it has saved many lives. However, within the United Kingdom, the story is different. Despite the plethora of CCTV cameras everywhere, crime has continued to rise. This despite the rise in gaming technology, or mobile phone [cell phone] technology, murders, muggings, knifings and shootings have all gone up.

Prisoners receiving short sentences for their crimes, are set free to do it all over again. With the rise in unemployment, homelessness, the cuts to welfare benefits, and other factors in reference to crime, is it any wonder why crime has risen? Yet, why should this be the case? Considering the United States has similar factors, yet their figures have consistently fallen for twenty years, since 1991.

It seems that while crime has not now become a major feature in peoples lives, it has within the United Kingdom. It has so much become a feature within the United Kingdom, that people are now trapped. With the cuts to police forces throughout the United Kingdom, because of the austerity measures of the Conservative-led Coalition Government, the danger of more riots to come cannot be overstated often enough.

The riots within England, in the summer of 2011, could be seen as a direct link to the cuts stated above. And, there is no doubt at all that if the cuts continue to bite the poorest in society within the United Kingdom, then worse will follow.  Crime has now become a major feature of everyday life within the United Kingdom, far more so than it has within the United States. Will there ever come a time when the United Kingdom will see crime figures fall, as in America? Only time will tell. But, right now, crime occupies the uppermost thoughts of people within the United Kingdom, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future to come

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