2010 Uniform Crime Report released, Violent Crime down again

[TexasRifleman]

Continuing a trend from the last few years, the UCR shows violent crime in the US decreasing. As we all know, you can't argue with any evidence that more guns in the hands of law abiding citizens has any impact here but you CAN argue that the anti's cries of blood flowing in the streets is hollow. If they had any valid points at all crime would be going up.

Gun laws have swung more and more to our side, while violent crime continues to decrease. This is good news in general, both for gun owners and for the country.

2010 Uniform Crime Report

In 2010, an estimated 1,246,248 violent crimes occurred nationwide, a decrease of 6.0 percent from the 2009 estimate.

When considering 5- and 10-year trends, the 2010 estimated violent crime total was 13.2 percent below the 2006 level and 13.4 percent below the 2001 level.

There were an estimated 403.6 violent crimes per 100,000 inhabitants in 2010.

Aggravated assaults accounted for the highest number of violent crimes reported to law enforcement at 62.5 percent. Robbery comprised 29.5 percent of violent crimes, forcible rape accounted for 6.8 percent, and murder accounted for 1.2 percent of estimated violent crimes in 2010.

On the firearms related side, guns continue to be used by criminals of course, that's not going to change, but guns are not the only tools used. This is an important point as well. Criminals will be criminals regardless of what tools are handy. And, if a criminal has found a tool that he likes to use most often, law abiding citizens should absolutely be able to resist him with at least as effective a tool.

Information collected regarding type of weapon showed that firearms were used in 67.5 percent of the Nation’s murders, 41.4 percent of robberies, and 20.6 percent of aggravated assaults.

Lots of detail in the report, always very interesting.

 

[ATBackPackin]

I just saw an article about this on MSN and you know there wasn't a single mention about there being more guns in the hands of law abiding citizens. Now I have doubts that more guns isn't the only reason for the decline, but I do think it has a good bit to do with it. However this is what they have their "expert" say is the cause.

An aging population and continued high rates of imprisonment for criminals are helping to drive down crime rates, said James Alan Fox, a criminologist at Northeastern University.

I swear you cannot make this stuff up. LOL

Story

Shawn

EDIT: I followed the link to make sure the story was still working and it looks like they updated it. Now they retracted the higher rate of imprisonment statement and actually said specifically that was most likely just the opposite. Other things helping to cause this lowering are more toys equals less property crime, low inflation, and more and smarter policy.

Unbelievably New York City, Boston, and Newark NJ all saw a rise in murder rates. Who would have thunk it.:banghead:

 

[TexasRifleman]

LOL that's a funny article. Low inflation causes lower crime but if crime was up it would be the guns fault. Early morning comedy, thanks

 

[Neverwinter]

Unbelievably New York City, Boston, and Newark NJ all saw a rise in murder rates. Who would have thunk it.:banghead:

Given the economic conditions of the populations in those population centers, it doesn't surprise me.

The effects can often manifest in strange places. The following is an article on a study cover the increase of child abuse related to recession published in Pediatrics.

Study: Child abuse rose during recession

 

[azmjs]

Crime has been going down more or less since 15 or so years after Roe v Wade.

We simply produce fewer criminals.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I think it was closer to 20 years that crime has been declining. Crime was declining before a LOT of states got CHLs and before several gun laws changes.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-02/uoc--nrr021207.php

 

[Standing Wolf]

As we all know, you can't argue with any evidence that more guns in the hands of law abiding citizens has any impact here but you CAN argue that the anti's cries of blood flowing in the streets is hollow.

Nah. That just proves violent crime rates would be even lower if we better people could somehow take those guns away from those unwashed Neanderthals who think they have some kind of right to keep and bear arms.

 

[Librarian]

First post has the graph for 2006-2010.

Violent crime has been going up and down, but trending down since 1990.

See attachment .

 

[JellyJar]

If you think about it for a minute I believe you will agree with me that low crime rates in the past ( pre 1960 ) are one of the primary reasons we have the restrictive gun control laws that we still have today in some jurisdictions. In the past ( again pre 1960 ) crime was so low that most people never though that they might need to own a gun for SD so they did not care if the politicos enacted more restrictive gun laws.

New York City was very safe back before WWII IIRC. That's why so many New Yorkers actually like their gun control laws.

 

[happygeek]

Dang, the Disctrict of Columbia only had 20 less homicides than the entire state of Washington (where I currently live). Interestingly, they had 99 homicides with firearms, while Washington state had 93 with firearms.

Another gun control success story.

 

[ny32182]

2010 Uniform Crime Report released, Violent Crime down again

To recycle one of the most oft-used lines on gun forums, "that is just a sign of the times and the day and age in which we live!"

 

[mortablunt]

More people are carrying and making themselves harder to target. So much for blood running in the streets. Is there any credibility left in the VPC now?