Understanding Why Crime Fell in the 1990s: Four Factors That Explain The Decline And Six That Do Not. Experience by Steven D. Levitt
The entire criminal activities in almost all parts of United States experienced heartening drop in the late 1990’s. According to Levitt experience, the year 1999 witnessed the least rate of reported cases homicide for the past 35 years. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reports highlights that in 1998, property and violent crimes declined by 29% and 34% respectively. Levitt states, “homicide rates fell in nine of the ten years in the decade of the 1990s, with the only exception being a minor upward blip in 1992” (Levitt 166). Although a good number of America experts were projecting a systematic continuation of crime rate in the country, the decline in crime in many parts of the country occurred unexpectedly. Scholars and experts in the criminal department linked the crime decline to various emerging external and internal factors. Based on his experience in American crimes Levitt presented a detailed analysis of some factors that could have resulted to a decrease in America crime in the late 1990’s. Levitt rated innovative policy as one of the main aspects that resulted to the witnessed decrease in crime rate, in America. The scholar has also linked the decrease in crime rate in America with other innovative activities such as the introduction of tough regulation on guns, rise in the number of the aging population, increase imprisonment, and changes in the drug market. Although all these factors have some impacts in the reduction of crime in America, some aspects have more impacts than others do in crime reduction, in the country. Therefore, understanding of factors and strategies that are directly responsible for the reduction in crime rate in America is useful especially among modern scholars and policy makers.
According to Levitt experience on America crime, the strategy of escalating number of police personnel in America was the main factor that led to an unexpected decline in crime rate in the late 1900’s. Largely, police officers are directly responsible for addressing criminal issues and deviants in modern society. In order to reduce the threatening crime rate in America, the country federal government increased the amount of finance channelled to the police department to more than $ 60 in a span of one year. Currently, studies on the ratio of the police officer to America citizens observed a radical reduction in the disparity that previously existed in the country (Raphael and Rudolf 259).
Furthermore, after concerns were raised by American business executives on security issues in the country, political responded by adopting a policy to increase the number of police officers in the country. Although the process of recruiting more police officers was tedious and challenging, the federal government managed to convince all actors on the important of employing more police officers in the country. Besides the substantial arguments presented by Levitt, other scholars in America have linked the reduction of crime in America with an increase in the police officers, in the country. This means even though the strategy to motivate and boost the number of police officials in America was a costly undertaking, the witnessed reduction in crime rate has largely supported the country social, political, and economic development. Therefore, based on the evidence presented by Levitt and other prominent scholars in America, a plan to increase the number of security officers in the country was one of the most brilliant ideas in dealing with the threatening crime rate in the country.
Based on Levitt experience and surveys, an initiative to increase the number of the prison population was another main contributor towards crime reduction in America. Studies have asserted that the late 1990 was a period that witnessed enormous rise in the number of criminals behind bars. Levitt states, “ the number of police affects the amount of crime, but the amount of crime also affects the number of police” (Levitt 176). There was a systematic teamwork between police officers and judicial systems in ensuring serious crime offenders were imprisoned for a long time. The assumption associating the reduction in crime rate in America with increase imprisonment rate is based on two main arguments. Firstly, imprisoning offenders removes criminals on the streets making them unable to continue with the crime activities. Locking serial criminal offenders in America jails and remands also resulted to incapacitation effect to criminals. The reduction of criminal activities in America streets was vital in increasing the security officers’ ability of dealing with the few remaining criminals elements among American population. Secondly, the imprisonment exercise created fear among potential criminals in the country. The imprisoned offenders served as a lesson for individuals intending to engage in crime activities, in all parts of the country. Moreover, compared to a strategy of increasing police officer in the country, the act of increasing the number of prisoners is more effective and less expensive.
The strategy to imprison all crime offenders reduced the number of foreigners who engaged in criminal activities within the American territory. According to Levitt, “the theory linking increased imprisonment to reduced crime works through two channels. First, by locking up offenders the other reason prisons reduce crime is deterrence” (Levitt 178). Although the issue of imprisoning foreigners raising international uproar, the America government did not relent in putting behind bars all criminal offenders irrespective of the country of origin. Therefore, although the plan to increase the number of criminal prisoners had detrimental social and economic impact to the affected families, the strategy was vital in dealing with the crime rate in America. The reported benefits of imprisoning criminals are relatively higher that the cost incurred in imprisoning crime offenders. Furthermore, the process of imprisoning crime suspects discourage the young generation interested in venturing into crime activities.
A strategy to dismantle cocaine business in America was useful in dealing with crime activities in America. In the late 1980s, the cocaine business grew and a threatening rate. A good number of young individuals from various parts of the world generated a huge amount of resources from the business. The high amount of resources from the business attracted continuous conflicts and disagreement among the involved stakeholders. Consequently, the escalating violence rate among cocaine dealers forced to young people to engage in criminal activities.
Similar to Levitt argument, some America scholars have confirmed that the act of cracking down cocaine business was a produce initiative in dealing with crime activities in America. According to the annual reports from America police department, the strategy to crack down cocaine open market has been of the essence in facilitating the reduction of homicide cases in America. Therefore, Levitt experience is vital in explaining the role of drugs in increasing crime activities, in the country. Drugs such as cocaine compel individuals to engage in regrettable divergence activities that undermine the country social and economic development. In modern society, a policy that will holistically crack down harmful drug market can be helpful in addressing the threatening security challenge in the world.
Based on Levitt experience on America crime, the legalisation of abortion in the country was of the essence in enhancing crime reduction, in the late 1990’s. Although the unpopular Supreme Court ruling in 1973 was not received well by human rights activities, the current evidence has linked crime reduction to the legalisation of abortion in America. The assumption relies on two critical premises unwanted pregnancies increase the risk of crime and the legalisation of abortion reduces the number of unnecessary births. In references to the available evidence, high number of population complicates the process of searching for the means of meeting personal needs. High population reduces employment opportunities that force community members to engage in criminal activities. In essence, high rate of unemployment has translated to high crimes. Raphael and Rudolf study supports this argument by highlighting, “between 1992 and 1997 (the last 6 years of our panel), the rate of robbery decreased by 30 percent, concurrently, the unemployment rate declined from approximately 7.4 to 4.9 percent” (Raphael and Rudolf 283).
On the other hand, scholars have linked the initiative to legalise abortion with the current 5% reduction in birth rates, in America (Wilson 21). Sorenson, Douglas and Richard study supports this argument by stating, “the 1973 legalization of abortion in the U.S. was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the number of 1- to 4-year old homicide victims in subsequent years” (Sorenson, Douglas and Richard 17). The decrease in the population rate, in America has resulted to increase in the employment rate in the country. A good number of the America young generation are currently engaged in helpful and productive activities that deny them an opportunity of engaging in crime activities. The adoption of legislation that legalised abortion in United States was a valuable step towards addressing the challenging crime rate in the country. In contrast to other countries that lack binding policies that legalise abortion, the American economy has the ability of meeting the need of a good number of the population. The sizeable population in United States has forced it to search for addition professionals from other economies in the world. Therefore, the adoption of a mechanism to reduce the birth rate in the world will be of the essence in facilitating global development.
Consequently, based on Levitt experience on America crime and the existing empirical evidence, crime rate in United States of America witnessed unexpected decline in the late 1990’s. Although some scholars have linked the decline in crime rate with numerous policies and strategies, the existing information link the decline with four main factors. A policy to legalise abortion, the additional police officers in America, increased incarceration, and the crackdown of the drug business are some of the main factors associated with a decline in criminal activities, in the late 1990’s. Even though some scholars have linked the decline with other factors such as innovation and policing strategy and economic trend to a decline in America crime rate, there is no substitutive evidence to affirm their allegations.
Therefore, just like in the United States of America case, other nations need to adopt well thought of the strategy of dealing with the crime rate in the world. Policy makers and other scholars need to engage in detailed and continuous research with the aim of unearthing the most effective strategy of addressing crime challenges in the country. Knowledge of some of constructive means of reducing the crime rate in America will also be a strategic approach for enhancing the adoption of a sustainable policy of cracking down criminal activities in other parts of the world.
Work Cited
Raphael, Stephen and Rudolf Winter-Ebmer. Identifying the Effect of Unemployment on Crime, Journal of Law and Economics, 44(1) 2001) 259–84. Print.
Sorenson, Susan, Douglas Wiebe and Richard Berk. Legalized Abortion and the Homicide of Young Children: An Empirical Investigation. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy. 2(1) (2002), 239 -256
Steven Levitt. Understanding Why Crime Fell In the 1990s: Four Factors That Explain The Decline And Six That Do Not. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 18(1) (2004).163–190. Print.
Wilson, James, Thinking About Crime. New York, NY: Random House, 2005. Print.
