Reversing the Trend toward Violence
Right now, the economy seems to be in a state of disarray. The market is in sad shape, and the government can't seem to agree on the best approach to bail out banks, lenders and borrowers all in one sweep. The numbers of foreclosures and people filing for bankruptcy is growing every month. Meanwhile, more than 600,000 people have lost their job and can't find a new one.
During this soon-to-be-deemed-a-recession period, it seems as though high numbers in divorce and crime would accompany the already dismaying facts of our current condition. Money problems can lead to a couple disagreeing on how paychecks should be spent, adding unneeded stress to relationships that is sometimes too damaging to get through. And with the number of empty houses continuing to increase, neighborhoods have provided many opportunities for burglaries.
However, there seems to be a reverse in the violent crime trend.
On September 15, the Federal Bureau of Investigation released a survey that showed violent crime declined in 2007, according to The New York Times. This is a reverse in the numbers, which was on a two-year rise. It is also the fifth year there was a decrease in the number of property crimes.
Large Cities Seeing Most of Decline
The report was compiled by the Uniform Crime Report and included information from about 17,700 law enforcement offices.
The offices reported a total of 1,408,337 violent crimes, which was a .7 percent decline from 2007. Violent crimes are considered murder, manslaughter, rape and assault. All four areas had a decline in numbers.
The study also showed that there were a total of 9,843,481 property crimes in 2007, for a 1.4 percent decrease. Property crime is considered burglary, larceny and theft, motor vehicle theft and arson. Each of these categories saw a decline, with motor vehicle theft having the largest drop at 8.1 percent.
According to The New York Times, the report indicated that cities with 250,000 or more people saw a drastic decline in crime, but small cities and towns actually experienced an increase in homicides and robberies. No reasons were noted for this cause.
With Fall in Crime Comes Decline in Punishment
In an unrelated study released by the Death Penalty Information Center, only 42 people were put to death this year, with no more executions slated for the rest of the year. This is the lowest number of lethal injections since 1999, when 98 inmates were executed. According to a blog, the group expects the declining numbers to continue in 2009.
It has been reported that the number of executions has declined in recent years because many people are beginning to view lethal injections as cruel and unusual punishment. States like New Jersey, Maryland, Colorado, North Carolina, Tennessee and California have outlawed or are looking to eliminate the death penalty.
In January 2009, the United States Supreme Court will listen to arguments about lethal injection and whether it is a constitutional form of punishment or cruel and unusual punishment. The death penalty is currently considered constitutional in 37 states, and lethal injection is used in 36 of those states.
Some critics believe that injecting mixed chemicals causes excruciating pain although the inmates can't express it. If the court deems lethal injection as an improper form of punishment, it will take some time for state governments to figure out an acceptable replacement. Many stays of executions have been issued because of the pending decision on the death penalty.
Other Related Links on Supreme Court Decisions