And the rate has fallen from 1995 to 5.6. All this while things like family violence and good old fashioned bar brawls weren't reported. While I'm in total agreement about the cause and effect of gun control. I do understand that crime rates were pretty low in the 50's and early 60s. The returning vetrans were too busy raising familys to commit crimes. We hear so much though about how terrible things are in these times and its just not so.seamusTX wrote:This discussion has progressed quite a bit while I was out, and I don't have time now for extensive research.
I said crime rates are higher now than in 1968 because I lived it, and I've been interested in criminology for a long time. It may be impossible to find good statistics, because reporting standards have changed significantly. (The definition of sexual assault has changed so that it is reported far more often than it was 40 years ago. People used to stand by and watch fistfights, if no one was getting seriously hurt. Now they call 911 for a slap or shove, and someone is arrested for assault.)
This document contains some good information, including this:In 1950, you could buy firearms though the mail from Sears and Penney. You could buy them at most hardware stores.The Nation's murder rate was 6.8 per 100,000 population in 1997 compared to 4.6 per 100,000 population in 1950.
- Jim
Search found 3 matches
- Sun May 06, 2007 6:15 pm
- Forum: General Texas CHL Discussion
- Topic: Open Carry??
- Replies: 78
- Views: 9360
- Sun May 06, 2007 2:31 pm
- Forum: General Texas CHL Discussion
- Topic: Open Carry??
- Replies: 78
- Views: 9360
I really don't know, but my gut feeling is that crime is higher since the 60s, because there are just more laws to break. I don't think violent crime is any higher but I'm still looking.frankie_the_yankee wrote:I think they rose starting sometime in the late 60's (as what I call "the toxic culture" started to take hold), continued rising thorugh the 70's and early 80's, and sometime in the late 80's began trending downwards.Liberty wrote:Are violent crime rates higher today? As I understand it Although crime rates rose in the 70s there have had some periods where they have dropped. I thought violent crime rates have been dropping in this country for the most part.seamusTX wrote: How can you explain that overall rates of violent crime have been higher since 1969 (the beginning of modern gun control) than before, despite increased restrictions on firearms sales, harsher penalties for crime, and more effective law-enforcement technology?
Partly this was due to population swings in the number of males in their high crime years, the waning of the "cocaine epidemic", higher incarceration rates, and (maybe) "the emergence of "shall issue".
Crime continued to trend downwards through the 90's and the first years of the 21 century. Very recently, there has been a small uptick - again (coincidently?) traceable to more crime age males and some dirtballs who were locked up in the 90's completing their sentences and getting out.
- Sun May 06, 2007 1:30 pm
- Forum: General Texas CHL Discussion
- Topic: Open Carry??
- Replies: 78
- Views: 9360
Are violent crime rates higher today? As I understand it Although crime rates rose in the 70s there have had some periods where they have dropped. I thought violent crime rates have been dropping in this country for the most part.seamusTX wrote: How can you explain that overall rates of violent crime have been higher since 1969 (the beginning of modern gun control) than before, despite increased restrictions on firearms sales, harsher penalties for crime, and more effective law-enforcement technology?