Violent crime plunges 12 percent in US in 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of violent crimes fell by a surprising 12 percent in the United States last year, a far bigger drop than the nation has been averaging since 2001, the Justice Department said.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported there were 3.8 million violent crimes last year, down from 4.3 million in 2009.

Experts aren't sure why. The expectation had been that crime would increase in a weak economy with high unemployment like that seen in 2010.

Thinkin’ the same thing......first, LOTs more people carrying concealed, and second, look at firearms sales and ammo since O even looked like he was gonna win - the nation’s believers in the 2nd Amendment are more armed than ever.

Could be that we’ve just begun to fight back against the bad guys and they know it......

Twelve percent year on year during a recession? I know that the trend has been downwards but it doesn’t seem plausible that it would suddenly decline so steeply right now.

As I said, there are many different factors - some mentioned on this thread. One major point is simply that America's attitude and policy changes towards crime beginning in the 80's is continuing to bear fruit. I am not going to argue that this particular statistic is perfectly accurate, only pointing out that the crime rate has been going down for years across much of the nation and this report isn't surprising considering the trend.

You know we are doing something right when the MSM is baffled by it. One of the funniest headlines I've seen fairly regularly in such rags as the NY Times and WaPo goes as follows:

Crime rate continues to drop despite record incarceration rates.

The left still can't figure out that being tough on crime and jailing criminals actually reduces crime. The establishment intellectuals are still stuck in the 60's, but most Americans simply demand their representatives be tough on criminals - even the Democrats they vote for. It was one of those shifts that the Democratic party largely was forced to go along with (much as they've dumped gun control).

Nobody has guessrd it.

2009 14 million guns sold. Ammo shortages and price increases.

2010 14.8 million guns sold. Ammo problems are severe

The bad guys no longer see the opportunities they once had.

Simple answer. There are fewer males between the ages of 18-37.

Or a lesser percentage.

Believe it or not, Bill Clinton brought this up in one of his addresses. At the time I imagined I would be the only person in the US paying attention to that. I may have been right.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.