New FBI statistics show that the “number of violent crimes in the United States dropped significantly last year, to what appeared to be the lowest rate in nearly 40 years, a development that was considered puzzling partly because it ran counter to the prevailing expectation that crime would increase during a recession.”
How significantly? Robberies are down 17.5% in the last two years. In cities with less than 10,000 residents, murders were down 25% last year. Nationally, murders are down 4.4% from last year.
The Sentencing Law and Policy Blog speculates why people are getting along so well. My favorite: “modern technology like the internet and HD TV leads a lot more people to spend a lot less time in crime-prone areas (like outside).”