Math 30-2 Project: December 2015

Why Crime Has been Decreasing

Math 30-2 Research Project

History shows we have statistics for everything; in fact, I can’t think of anything we wouldn’t use statistics for. For example, which gender causes the most accidents within a certain age group, retail sales trends, and population comparisons from country to country, which model of cars are selling in a particular year, and the list goes on. Crime rate increases/decreases from year to year are no exception but what we will never be able to know unequivocally and with one hundred percent certainty is why, in a decade, crime would increase or decrease.

There are theories, theories that would suggest we’ve made increases from our tax dollars to hire more police officers and make them visible on the street, better teaching methods to help those officers perform their duty, better security from home alarm systems, etc. Another theory that is getting a lot attention these days is social media. We all heard stories of how facebook has helped catch people on the run from someone who has just committed a crime. The police call it vigilantism and warn people not to get involved but can anyone really stop this new generation of young people so obsessed and dependant on cyberspace that it’s literally reshaped everything we do today? That’s only one of the dangers of our modern tech world. Our tech world with tablets, cell phones, computers, and video game have made this new generation addicted to all the newest and greatest advancements in technology. Phone plans with unlimited access to videos and texting has made communication become almost a thing of the past. Who can blame them when video games are so real and lifelike one might think you’re actually there. If you’re socially awkward, it’s a great place to change their real world into the fantasy they could only dream of being part of. Some research has suggested, “the proof is in the pudding,” so to speak; video sales appear to have correlated with the drop of influential criminal activities stemming from the use of drugs or violent outburst that could lead some to act out their aggression, physically. A coincidence?..- Maybe…but think back to a time before we had video games when young people were influenced by their peers to act out on their emotions or from simply being bored. For years, video games have been criticized for causing violent urges and then acting on them but what if consideration was given to whether video games could actually aid in refocusing that behaviour by acting out their fantasy in a more controlled environment that is safe for everyone. In the fantasy world, you can do as much damage as you want without actually hurting anyone or causing any actual property damage; basically, it’s causing trouble without actually having to legally be responsible for what you did. Kids are spending more time in doors with friends playing these games where they would otherwise be on the street. Even kids who are alone most of the time because both their parents work are staying home more often which is great for the parents to know where their kids are spending their time at.

There are some drawbacks to all these great technical advancements, some kids are soo obsessed that it can cause kids to do nothing else with their time except to play these games; what about helping around the house, getting a job and earning extra pay to buy these games instead of leaving it up to the parents to buy them and then there is homework. It’s agreed that’s it’s a great distraction, but how do we know which kids will or won’t continue with their life responsibilities; well, I guess it’s like everything else that distract us from life, we’re all prone to anyone of these depending on the distraction that we choose to engage in. It’s always going to be about choices in the end and what we choose to do with those distractions makes us into the people we become. For now, some believe, evidence isn’t necessary to convince them that video gaming has become a large part of keeping our streets safer. What do you think has made our crime rates come down?

Shelley Page

1990	3275
1991	3300
1992	3150
1993	3075
1994	3075
1995	3075
1996	3050
1997	2900
1998	2750
1999	2650
2000	2550
2001	2550
2002	2450
2003	2350
2004	2300
2005	2250
2006	2200
2007	2150
2008	2100
2009	2000