I disagree with that old line of thinking. What I have noticed is that most crime (even amongst rural residents) is now more motivated by both "the ability to resell items" or, personally involved domestic relationships. Here in Chicago, pawn shops are finding an increase in the ability to aid the police department in recovery of theft items. Upon following up on pawn tickets, they are finding the thieves. Of late, a lot more 13 - 16 year olds whose fingerprints were at the crime scenes. Candidates for TV's - Stupid Crimes. But there is starting to be evidence as to where the funds are going. There are many little neighborhood boutique shops that are doing a "recently increasing" business in certain what I call designer "thug" lines of clothing. The (my personal perspective) strange piece for me is this is counter to what should be as the police recenly have raided several local drug dealer outlets for major quantities. This was combined with busts of several user "pick up spots." So I think the crimes are not being perpetrated by the normal groups.
Drugs cause crime? How so? Are you suggesting that the high crime rate is from drug usage itself or from the laws against drug use? One could argue that the reason why crime rates are so high when related to drug usage is because drug prices are highly inflated from being illegal. However, what if drugs were regulated instead of illegal? Perhaps then the frequency of crimes would be reduced due to the lower prices of drugs. London, the last time I was there, was awesome. I talked to a lot of the locals there and they view the United States as the wild wild west. The American men are all cowboys to them.
Guns cause crime - in the hands of outlaws. Guns reduce crime - in the hands of the armed citizenry. I am a life member of the NRA and there's nothing that will convince me otherwise. An armed citizenry is a respectful, law abiding citizenry.
Drugs cause crime? How so? Are you suggesting that the high crime rate is from drug usage itself or from the laws against drug use? One could argue that the reason why crime rates are so high when related to drug usage is because drug prices are highly inflated from being illegal. A.....I wrote, a few posts back about legalizing and controlling the supply of drugs. To take away the economic foundation for the industry. State supplied and taxed maybe, on similar lines to cigarettes. But a moral minefield I suppose? Of course there are more things to steal these days, the media hypes lifestyles that the thief tries to emulate (quicker than working and saving for something), the mix is endless and requires research and thesis of such magnitude that I doubt many of us could devote the time to it. But at least we can air our views. Finally - what do you Americans think of zero tolerance policing - are there other places than New York that enforce it?
agree. and just in case some out there haven't heard it, here's the old plug again, "when you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have them."
if you put every person who steals a car stereo in prison for 5 years, they will still be out on the streets after 5 years. and believe me, those people who have absolutely NOTHING to lose, or to GAIN in the normal world. what are they going to do when they are on the streets? They are not going to apply for jobs as salesmen or whatever. they prolly will going to put some stuff in action that they went over with their jail brothers imo. The best solution is in my view legalization of drugs. the war on drugs is costing i don't know how many billions of dollars each year. if you put a fraction of that money into prevention..
Aphie. Don't feel bad. Our medical insurance and bills are over $22,000 a year. We both work 7 days a week to make ends meet. Don't get old.
Ever see the movie Training Day? Well it was kinda jacked up how Denzel was stealing drug money and breaking rules just like criminals, but he was on to something. How he explained how it takes a wolf to catch a wolf, and it's sometimes better to have them kill each other off versus taking them to jail. Going to jail isn't going to solve anything either. The only thing a prison sentence is going to do to a criminal is make him/her a better criminal. I don't have all the answers, but I think it's worth trying to develop a more efficient means of eliminating crime. Andy
this is the very thing that worries me. look how people drive their cars, mr average citizen does not have good judgement. half the idiots drive too slow, many in the passing lane just sitting and crusining along 10 mph under the posted speed limit like they are from another planet. too many have no clue how to safely enter a highway from a ramp or to exit one efficiently. i could go on and on. NOW, you want to give each and every one of these average idiots a dangerous firearm?? NO THANKS! i won't support that! we just had a little old woman shot to death in her home sitting in her living room because some "genius" fancying himself a modern day Davy Crocket had to be out playing big bad hunter man MIS judged and shot her to death. BUT THAT'S HIS RIGHT ACCORDING TO YOU NRA ers!! RIGHT??? Look what SHE had to give up for YOUR "rights"! You'll never convince me.