re: Why was crime so much higher in the 90s?

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Crime went down because of all the lowlifes who were never born because of legal abortion.

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Roe was in 1973. A little more than 20 years before crime peaked.

And crime was lower in the preceding decades when people were coming of age who were born pre-Roe.

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Roe was in 1973. A little more than 20 years before crime peaked.

And crime was lower in the preceding decades when people were coming of age who were born pre-Roe.

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yeah from my memory, the "abortion" argument in Freakanomics was for headlines but they said it wasn't the major factor

crime started getting really bad in the late 70s peaking in the late 80s/early 90s and then dropping like a rock about 95

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crime started getting really bad in the late 70s peaking in the late 80s/early 90s and then dropping like a rock about 95

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Yep. And look how much lower it was in 1960.

The "good" news is bad compared to then.

depressing grunge/alternative music

Unsettling of industrial economy/blue collar class is the most persuasive argument. Throw in crack epidemic and the inner cities were in absolute shambles. It all comes to a head in early 90s and drops off as our economy shifts footing to technology, crack epidemic peters out, and the industry leaving US hangover effects finally run their course

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however, on a personal-philosophical level, i hate mass incarceration. deep down, i fear what would happen if we implemented my personal policies on a national level.

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Overreaching overzealous incarceration should certainly be a concern, along with a lackadaisical, let ‘em off easy approach to true criminals.

Could you expound on your ideal alternative?

70, 80s and 90s crime was much higher than it is today.

There are statistics that show abortion contributes to less crime. Twenty years after abortion became legal, crime started to drop. Twenty years is around the average age people commit a lot of different crimes.

Roe v Wade was in 1973.



As you can see. There were more murders in the early 80s than any other time, in the early 90s it goes back up close to where it peaked in the 80s then it spiraled from there.

The cocaine trade and crack epidemic played a big factor in crime rates in the 80s and 90s.

While it might not be that much more, I do think there are more kids who live in poverty are more determined to get out of it. Dealing drugs is risk and its almost like an MLM. The person on top makes the most money. Under that person are those who run their territories. Then under them are those who run their block, And then under them are the young drug dealers who don't make that much.

The reward isn't worth the risk. They are on the front line. They get x amount of product and they are responsible for giving the person above them so much money for the product they received.

If they lose it, someone steals some from them, etc they still have to pay x amount to the person above them. So if something happens they might not make any money from a supply drop.

I think there is more awareness that it isn't worth getting in the drug game so I think that helps.. Plus the shift in demand has changed the game up a little.

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Crime rates were noticeably higher back in the 90s, what do you think was the reason and what cause the rates to go down?

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There's a lot of evidence that the crime rates in the US started to go down following the banning of leaded gasoline.

Fun fact: The guy who invented putting Tetraethyllead in automobile gasoline also invented Freon (CFCs). No single person likely had as big an impact on the environment as Thomas Midgley.

Crime and Poverty have an interesting relationship.

At times it is positively correlated and other times it is negatively correlated.

Obama cleaned up the place