Gun homicide, violence down sharply over 20 years

[Flesh Thorn]

This from CNN......

(CNN) -- Gun-related homicides and crime are "strikingly" down from 20 years ago, despite the American public's belief that firearm crime is on the upswing, a new study said Wednesday.
Looking back 50 years, a Pew Research Center study found U.S. gun homicides rose in the 1960s, gained in the 1970s, peaked in the 1980s and the early 1990s, and then plunged and leveled out the past 20 years.
"Despite national attention to the issue of firearm violence, most Americans are unaware that gun crime is lower today than it was two decades ago," the researchers say.
A Pew survey of Americans in March found 56% believed gun-related crime is higher than 20 years ago and only 12% said it's lower. The survey said 26% believed it stayed the same and 6% didn't know.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/08/us/study- ... ?hpt=hp_t3

[rgrokelley]

What the networks show on TV and what they put on their website are usually two different things. About half of Americans will not read. So by doing this they can always point to their written stories and tell how balanced they are.

[RangerX]

Any here read Freakonomics? It has some interesting viewpoints regarding the decline in crime during the '90s. Not necessarily popular viewpoints, but interesting none the less.

[Jim]

Any here read Freakonomics? It has some interesting viewpoints regarding the decline in crime during the '90s. Not necessarily popular viewpoints, but interesting none the less.

I found this on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freakonomics

Interesting. Thanks, RangerX.

[KW Driver]

Freakanomics argue legalized abortion starting in the mid 70s cut down on shitty, unwanted kids turning criminal? Can't remember where I heard it, but find the argument plausible.

[RangerX]

Freakanomics argue legalized abortion starting in the mid 70s cut down on shitty, unwanted kids turning criminal? Can't remember where I heard it, but find the argument plausible.

Pretty much. If you recall, during the 90s the Clintons made a very big deal out of the sudden decline in crime, trying to spin it as if their policies had been a causal factor. The author of Freakonomics postulated that the reduction of ghetto-births and the decline in crime 16-20 years after Roe v. Wade are essentially parallel lines...

Controversial to say the least, and he has faced a lot of detractors for it.....

[rangertough]

Freakanomics argue legalized abortion starting in the mid 70s cut down on shitty, unwanted kids turning criminal? Can't remember where I heard it, but find the argument plausible.

Pretty much. If you recall, during the 90s the Clintons made a very big deal out of the sudden decline in crime, trying to spin it as if their policies had been a causal factor. The author of Freakonomics postulated that the reduction of ghetto-births and the decline in crime 16-20 years after Roe v. Wade are essentially parallel lines...

Controversial to say the least, and he has faced a lot of detractors for it.....

Whether you fall in the "morally against" crowd or not. The numbers are hard to fight.

Tough