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Gun Control Fails to Reduce Crime Rate
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
Gun Control Fails to Reduce Crime Rate
By DAVID KLINE
Californians are more likely to be killed by criminals now than they were last year, and are far more likely to become victims of property crimes.
That is the latest news from the state attorney general, who this month unveiled California's crime report for 2001.
Overall, the state's crime rate increased 3.7 percent from 2000 to 2001. That is the second consecutive year in which there was more crime, after a decade of massive decreases in the crime rate-especially since passage of the three-strikes law in 1994.
Last year, there was a 0.8 percent decrease in violent crime, but this figure is a bit deceptive. The homicide rate increased 5 percent and robberies went up 4.2 percent, while aggravated assaults decreased 3.1 percent to make the overall violent crime rate seem less frightening.
Seniors fared better than the population as a whole in several of these categories. The number of violent crimes involving victims over 60 dropped from 6,608 in 2000 to 6,425 last year-homicides dropped from 130 to 112, forcible rapes from 102 to 97, and aggravated assault from 3,367 to 3,127. But robbery of seniors increased from 3,009 to 3,089 over the one-year period.
Property crimes, meanwhile, went through the roof last year. Overall property crime increased 6 percent, fueled by a 10.2 percent increase in vehicle theft and a 2.6 increase in burglary.
The increase in crime is particularly troubling since it comes at a time when advances in technology should be putting a stop to more illegal activities. Along with expanded use of DNA evidence to solve new and old cases, police now have a statewide photo data bank to expedite identification of bad guys, and better computer technology to analyze leads, process tips and trace stolen items. This technology should help police put career criminals behind bars, and the crime rate should fall when these offenders are taken off the streets.
Instead, the crime rate increased 3.7 percent last year, after a 1 percent increase the year before.
These increases have happened even as Gov. Gray Davis has bragged about signing gun control laws to "make California's streets and neighborhoods safer." Statistics indicate just the opposite has happened, so maybe the real effect of the gun-ownership restrictions has been to keep law-abiding people from having firearms available to protect themselves and their property.
Davis is tough when it comes to supporting the death penalty and opposing the parole of convicts, but the last two years of his term have shown that that isn't enough.
In a Jan. 5, 2000 speech, Davis told Californians, "A governor has no greater responsibility than to ensure that the public is safe and secure." It is a true statement, and the governor should heed his words. Rather than spending time shaking down campaign contributors and restricting citizens' access to self-defense weapons, Davis should be addressing his self-proclaimed top responsibility with real solutions.
To shirk this responsibility is to allow more men, women and children to be victimized as the crime rate continues its dangerous climb.
- Capitol News Service
http://www.metnews.com/articles/affairs092002.htm
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
By DAVID KLINE
Californians are more likely to be killed by criminals now than they were last year, and are far more likely to become victims of property crimes.
That is the latest news from the state attorney general, who this month unveiled California's crime report for 2001.
Overall, the state's crime rate increased 3.7 percent from 2000 to 2001. That is the second consecutive year in which there was more crime, after a decade of massive decreases in the crime rate-especially since passage of the three-strikes law in 1994.
Last year, there was a 0.8 percent decrease in violent crime, but this figure is a bit deceptive. The homicide rate increased 5 percent and robberies went up 4.2 percent, while aggravated assaults decreased 3.1 percent to make the overall violent crime rate seem less frightening.
Seniors fared better than the population as a whole in several of these categories. The number of violent crimes involving victims over 60 dropped from 6,608 in 2000 to 6,425 last year-homicides dropped from 130 to 112, forcible rapes from 102 to 97, and aggravated assault from 3,367 to 3,127. But robbery of seniors increased from 3,009 to 3,089 over the one-year period.
Property crimes, meanwhile, went through the roof last year. Overall property crime increased 6 percent, fueled by a 10.2 percent increase in vehicle theft and a 2.6 increase in burglary.
The increase in crime is particularly troubling since it comes at a time when advances in technology should be putting a stop to more illegal activities. Along with expanded use of DNA evidence to solve new and old cases, police now have a statewide photo data bank to expedite identification of bad guys, and better computer technology to analyze leads, process tips and trace stolen items. This technology should help police put career criminals behind bars, and the crime rate should fall when these offenders are taken off the streets.
Instead, the crime rate increased 3.7 percent last year, after a 1 percent increase the year before.
These increases have happened even as Gov. Gray Davis has bragged about signing gun control laws to "make California's streets and neighborhoods safer." Statistics indicate just the opposite has happened, so maybe the real effect of the gun-ownership restrictions has been to keep law-abiding people from having firearms available to protect themselves and their property.
Davis is tough when it comes to supporting the death penalty and opposing the parole of convicts, but the last two years of his term have shown that that isn't enough.
In a Jan. 5, 2000 speech, Davis told Californians, "A governor has no greater responsibility than to ensure that the public is safe and secure." It is a true statement, and the governor should heed his words. Rather than spending time shaking down campaign contributors and restricting citizens' access to self-defense weapons, Davis should be addressing his self-proclaimed top responsibility with real solutions.
To shirk this responsibility is to allow more men, women and children to be victimized as the crime rate continues its dangerous climb.
- Capitol News Service
http://www.metnews.com/articles/affairs092002.htm
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878