[1066AD]

Yet police in San Antonio, Texas, have been scratching their heads over the causes of a dramatic 70% increase in the murder rate this year. Traditionally peaceful states such as New Hampshire, Iowa and Kansas are also experiencing violence unknown a decade ago.

Illegal immigration and drugs ?

[headstamp]

Bingo.

The illegal alien crime wave continues in earnest.

[Brilliant]

Yes. Mainly illegal immigration, I think.

[Bob]

When you give kids automatic weapons nothing good is going to happen.”

Now they're giving full autos away to kids?? Where do I get mine?

[Trailerpark Badass]

Sorry, Mr. Fancy-pants Two-Name Brit, cities like Memphis, Tulsa, Buffalo and Milwaukee aren't "exurbs," but rather mini-metropolises controlled by Democrat race hustlers with significant populations of government dependents.

Any crime wave that truly exists in the exurbs is simply the result of career criminals following the money.

[NicknamedBob]

"... factors that may be influencing crime, among them the migration of middle-class populations to the “exurbs”, or distant suburbs, often with weak police forces unable to handle the influx and little experience of urban crime."

Escuse me, the ones who are fleeing are not the ones who are bringing the crime. They are being pursued.

If all the banks in the city shut down, where would Willie Sutton go?

Now, what I would like to see is a correlation between gun ownership and the right to carry, versus the influx of "Katrina evacuees" and other migrants.

[TheLion]

Illegal immigration is certainly the biggest factor. We should thank our congress critters for protecting us.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Keep laughing Brits...worry about your Ka-nife problem.

[AzaleaCity5691]

Since when is Tulsa or Milwaulkee an exburb. Incidentally, this has nothing to do with "gun laws", it has everything to do with the meth trade and the rap culture. When the kids listen to music that tells them to unleash their inner thug, we shouldn't be shocked when they well, unleash they're inner-thug.

Not too far from hear, in the Birdville area, last week over a series of a few days, a little ghetto drama played out right before our eyes, on the streets and in the papers. Just like a gangster rap song. It had an initial shooting, a retaliation shooting, a kidnapping, and I do believe deceased people came up out of it.

And the white violent crime rate, which had been reduced to nil, is on the rise again because of the meth trade. It is now back to the point where I wouldn't leave my car parked near a trailer park, or a white area where I know that the homes are by in large, worth less than $70,000 a pop, because the Dixie Mafia is back. If you want to really end crime, reverse most of the decisions of the Warren Court.

[lafroste]

Researchers are re-examining potential crime-breeding factors, from the role of abortions in poor communities — theoretically preventing criminals being born

WTF? Abortion "theoretically" prevents criminals being born? First, that's total BS, second, were it true it would support less crime not more, and third, killing babies is morally reprehensible and is not outweighed by any perceived societal benefit.

[Myrddin]

I suspect a lot of the increase in crime is due to the criminals in New Orleans being flushed out to outlying states and cities as they were trying to escape Hurricane Katrina. Since their old stomping grounds have been demolished by the hurricane, they've set up shop in their new locations. No point in returning as there are plenty of potential new crime victims to exploit in their new digs.

[Clintonfatigued]

You found the main (though not only) reason.

My tagline says it all.

[The Old Hoosier]

Those aren't exurbs.

[Atchafalaya]

Notice, no mention of illegals, just the usual suspects. As far as New Orleans, they are in denial.

[Biblebelter]

The city that briefly enjoyed a zero murder rate in the wake of the evacuations forced by Katrina is on the way to regaining its status as America’s most dangerous city, even though its population has halved.

It was not for the lack of trying. As I remember there were people still shooting, they just were not shooting at anything close enough to hit.

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

“These are not the bad old days yet,” said Professor Jack Levin, a criminologist at Northeastern University in Boston. “But I don’t think it’s a blip on the radar screen either. I think it’s the beginning of a trend and we could see a whole new crime wave.”

[redpoll]

I was thinking the same thing: illegal immigrants. Since they're illegal, no one really knows how many there are, but the crimes they commit are like shadows cast on the wall as they pass by. I could be wrong, but that's the thought that passed through my head reading this article.

[goldstategop]

Its funny how in they're in denial. Liberals and illegal aliens make for an explosive brew. Ah, but we gotta celebrity the diversity! Sorry about the casualties - its collateral damage.

(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")

[FreedomCalls]

Illegal immigration and drugs ?

Hardly. Those factores were there last year and the year before. They aren't the cause of the increase in violent crime this year.

For Texas and many of the states surrounding Louisiana one new factor is the influx of hardened criminals from New Orleans who have shot up the crime rate in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. Another factor is that the young criminals who were sentenced to at least 25 years in prison without parole beginning under President Reagan are now starting to be set free at the end of their sentences.

[Carl LaFong]

Those darn "teenagers" with their be-bop music and hepped-up hot rods.

[Tribune7]

San Antonio has a much lower rate than Philly. Philly's murders are not caused by illegal immigrants.