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Murder: What does it take for a society to transition from a high-crime to a low-crime equilibrium?
I live in a country with a high murder rate (pushing 40 per 100K per year). Where should I look to for hope? Is the example of New York City in the early 90s reproducible? How much is this a technological question where a society could leapfrog into a better place, and how much is it just a slow incremental struggle?
societyunderstand
Let's imagine that murder is punishable by 40 years in prison. If it was found that murderers who got 20 years in prison committed less crimes on release, than murderers who got 40 years in prison, Europe would give murderers the 20 years, and America would still give murders the 40 years. That attitude is why European countries have a lower re-offending rate.
Some people's lives are the product of their environment, and some people's lives are their own choices. It is the former, who are the lucky ones. Not everyone is given the opportunity to be happy in life.
Crime is not a justice or legal issue, it's a social issue.
People who come from poverty stricken backgrounds with bleak prospects, are more likely to do crime, as When you have nothing to lose, you have everything to gain. In our capitalist society, anyone who cannot make legal money and stay afloat with what they have, will move to dirty money as they may start dealing drugs.
People who come from poverty stricken backgrounds, are more likely to smoke and regularly drink, as they do not have the same things that normal people have, and they have to spend lots of time going without, so they use those things as escapism as they've missed out on lots of opportunities.
Ask a question about how society can transition people to stop smoking, or how social mobility can be increased, and you've got your answer.
Conspiracy Theory
One thing that can stop, is that the government should stop bringing guns and drugs into the country for criminals to buy. How else are they getting them? They're coming from somewhere! The theory is that the government brings the drugs and guns into the country, so they can lock up the degenerates from society, the scum, in order to eradicate them from society. The CIA have been known to smuggle drugs into the other countries.
Considering that America has for-profit prisons where prisoners are made to be slaves and are forced to work for private corporations in there, or be starved and whipped, this theory makes lots of sense.