Will Recession Increase Crime?
91Does Recession Mean a Crime Wave is in the Offing?
The severe economic recession has brought about the possibility of a crime wave occuring in the future. The soaring unemployment rate may mean that more desparate people will resort to crime to obtain money. At the time of this writing, the official U.S unemployment rate has jumped to about 8.1% (this is the U-3 unemployment rate which does not include the underemployed or those who have stopped looking for work). In California, the unemployment rate is 10.1%. According to some sources, there is typically a 'lag-time' of about a year between a significant economic event (e.g. massive bank failures, stock market crash etc.) and an increase in crime. If this theory holds true, then the U.S. might see a crime spike somewhere around Sept. 2009 as the effects of the 2008 crash begin to manifest themselves fully. As usual, there are conflicting studies on this topic, as some studies indicate that a crime increase does not necessarily occur when the economy deteriorates.
However, recent data indicates a bank robberies in certain cities such as Houston, San Francisco, Albaquerque and New York City skyrocekted in 2008. For example, bank robberies in New York City jumped by 50% over 2007, and Houston experienced a record number of bank robberies.
Funding cutbacks have also hit police agencies as cities struggle to maintain their financial health during the recession. For example, police in Atlanta are being forced to take a day off every other week to save money. In Phoenix, some 250 police officer positions remain unfilled as that city deals with a massive budget crisis. In Sacramento, 100 police department vacancies remain unfilled, and only 1 in 10 property crimes are investigated due to staff shortages.
In Atlanta, burglaries are up 14%, auto thefts are up 17%. In Topeka, KS shoplifiting has increased 5%, in Austin, TX aggravated assault is up 10%.
See the links below for recent news articles and videos on crime in the recession.
Have you noticed a crime wave in your area? Please let us know by leaving a comment with your general location (city/state) so that we can view any trends. Also, if you have any sources of information that contrast the notion that crime increases during a recession, please share with us.
- Recession Retail Theft: Middle-Class Shoplifters on Rise - TIME
More outwardly reputable middle-class people are shoplifting to cope with the economic downturn. Researchers say it may be hard to break them of the habit - The Rage of Anxiety - Laura Rowley Money & Happiness
A recent study by researchers in California and London found the stress of recessions, particularly of unemployment, markedly increases rates of death from intentional violence. - JSA: Jewelry crimes up 16.6 percent in 2008
The total number of jewelry industry crimes increased 16.6 percent last year, with total dollar losses of $103.5 million, according to the Jewelers' Security Alliance (JSA) 2008 Annual Crime Report. - Mar. 15, 2009 NY Times: Police Stress Deterrence Measures as Bank Robberies Surge in the City
Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly has expressed concern over the frequency of bank robberies and the seeming ease in carrying them out, particularly at certain branches. - Recession crime wave hits Britain - Telegraph
A recession crime wave has hit Britain with police uncovering a dramatic rise in fraud, The Daily Telegraph can disclose. - Economic downturn causes Crime Spikes
Seems like the economic downturn is causing an increase in crime just as cities are being forced to cut police forces due to the lack of revenue. - Hair Weave Thefts Increase in Recession | Houston weather, traffic, and news | MyFoxHouston.com | FO
HOUSTON - A group of hair and beauty supply store owners is asking the Houston Police Department to help them fight an unusual burglary trend. Those store owners say they're being robbed of their hair weaves. - American Chronicle | Social unrest and crime over global economic meltdown
We are an online magazine for national, international, state, local, entertainment, sports, and government news. We also provide opinion and feature articles. - Cutting the payroll means unhappy dividends | Business | The Observer
Happiness hardly seems at the top of the management agenda when the financial world is falling apart. But, as participants at a seminar on "Recession: health and happiness", organised by the Economic and Social Research Council, heard last week, - As Economy Dips, Arrests for Shoplifting Soar - NY Times
As the economy has weakened, shoplifting has increased,Police departments across the country say that shoplifting arrests are 10 percent to 20 percent higher this year than last. The problem is probably even greater than arrest records indicate.... - Bank heists on the Rise - NBC News
Tough economic times are evidently leading some to an old-fashioned means of stealing money: robbing the bank. NBC's Pete Williams reports. - Recession creates 50,000 police jobs as crime graph soars- Jobs-News By Industry-News-The Economic T
WASHINGTON: Economic downturn has wiped off thousands of jobs from hundreds of the American companies, but the same crisis has prompted the US administration to announce a massive hiring of 50,000 police personnel.
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