Crime Watch Violent Crime Trends:

Crime Watch

Violent Crime Trends: Analysis of Resources

While statistics show a general decline in serious violent crimes such as homicide in the United States since 1991, the homicide rate in the country is remains one the highest in the developed world. There were, for example, 17,034 murders in the United States in 2006 (Deaths by Mass Unpleasantness: Estimated Totals for the Entire 20th Century).

However, according to a CBS report entitled Eye on Crime in America (2006) there has in fact been an increase in the incidence of violent crime in the United States in the last decade; but that this increase is not uniform for every city or area. This report refers to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program, which indicates an increase in violent crime for the first time in four years. Alarmingly, this report showed that murders rose 3.4%, and the number of juveniles arrested for murder jumped by as much as 20% (McNamara, 2006). This increase in serious crime among the younger demographic is cause for concern among criminologists and social workers.

Figure 1.

(Source: http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/glance/reportingtype.cfm)

Furthermore, there were a number of other alarming trends that could be linked to the increase in violent crime; property crimes, for example, increased by 2.4%. (McNamara, 2006) Another trend that emerges from a study of the data is that there has been a reduction of certain types of serious crime. One such trend is the reduction of incidents of rape, which has shown a decrease of more than one percent (McNamara, 2006). There was also a decline in the number of hate crimes but an increase in race related crimes. Another trend worth noting and which could have an effect on the increasing rate of violent crimes, is the fact that, "Of the 14.1 million arrests made by law enforcement in 2005, drug violations accounted for more than any other offense"(McNamara, 2006).

As noted, a central trend that becomes clear from the data is that the incidence and severity of violent crime varies from city to city. A trend that seems to have emerged in the last few years is that midsize cities showed the greatest increase in crime. In other words, violent crime seems to be shifting from larger cities like New York to smaller cities. A possible reason for this trend is that law enforcement in the larger cities has become more streamlined, focussed and intense than in the smaller cities and the criminals are taking advantage of the less stringent law enforcement. This trend is evident, for example, in the fact that the murder rate in Washington has declined during the past four years but that during the same period murder rates have increased in Kansas City ( an Uptick in Murders). While Los Angeles and Chicago show a decrease in violent crime, there is an increase in the number of murders in Charlotte and Tulsa (an Uptick in Murders).

Other noticeable trend is the increase in white collar crime. This is also linked to the growth of communications technology and the "information revolution." This factor is also linked to the increase in drug trafficking, which is a crime that is often closely linked to violence and murder ( McDonald and Finn, 2000).

2. Is the Increase in Violent Crime a Cause for Alarm?

The answer to the above question is a resounding 'yes'. Violent crime in itself creates a wide array of social and personal problems that affect society in many negative ways. Besides the obvious fact that people often die, there is also the traumatic effect of this type of crime on relatives and loved one to consider: which in turn is translated into problems for healthcare and for the economy.

However, from a criminological point-of-view violent crime may be an indication of a potential breakdown in law and order, and in the social structure of society. Violent crime increases suggest that the norms and values of society are in decline. Many social theorists, such as Emile Durkheim, see violent crime as a symptom of deeper issue and problems within the society. This also refers to the concept of 'anomie', which is a "…a state where norms (expectations on behaviours) are confused, unclear or not present."(Durkheim's Anomie) it is this state of "normlessness" which is a main factor in deviant and violent behavior.