Crime is going down, fear is going up

[Szdfan]

I suggest that one reason for the rise in fear is the unprecedented digital documentation and the resulting proliferation of information regarding the crimes that are committed. The number of doorbell and security cameras, police body cameras, and bystanders with mobile phones are completely without precedent in history. And so crimes are heavily reported with far more evidence shared both by the media and the public than they used to be.

I'm going to blame another thing, and that is the popularity of true crime shows on TV. Over 57% of Americans watch crime shows. Crime on traditional TV has a huge following. New media such as streaming platforms and podcasts show it as well, 2 of the top 10 podcasts are about crime. People are riveted to this stuff, and it has an impact.

That's not even counting fictional crime in movies, which would drive the total of Americans who are frequently exposed to crime via their entertainment media way past the 57% in my opinion.

More than ever, we are aware of crime, even if crime is going down. And heightened awareness can lend to increasing fear.

I think this is correct and I’m seeing similar dynamics.

I recently had my students read an article about this issue to get them to think a bit about this. The kids love true crime podcasts and ask for articles about serial killers and murder. I keep redirecting them to age appropriate articles about why these issues are big in our society and how do they affect us. I’m trying to get them to think deeper about it.

[temporal1]

boot,
would you add links to the other threads you’ve started on this?

i think there was one based on Chicago’s violent crime, and another that was later debunked due to mistakes in statistics?

Just the Tesla crime, from dealerships to random highway attacks, is enough to make people skittish.

Politicians calling for violence adds a lot of heat.

unreported crime is part of it, “why report?” when perps are ignored or set free?
many prefer not to add more problems - along with the initial crime.

people have more fear when there’s no trust in the system to help them.

[JimFoxvog]

Part of the reason people sense that crime is going up is that it seems people are trying to steal from us every day, either by scam phone calls, emails, or web scams.

[temporal1]

Part of the reason people sense that crime is going up is that it seems people are trying to steal from us every day, either by scam phone calls, emails, or web scams.

i’ve been getting more of this, esp text and phone calls. annoying.
i think the OP is about violent crime and property crime?

[mike]

This is not the correct way to do this analysis.

Feel free to provide a better analysis and explain why your analysis is better.

Why not rather make the thread about the questions and issues in your original post, which are good questions and solid issues, instead of getting into statistical analysis and fighting with JohnH again, unless that is what you really wanted the thread to be.

[mike]

Part of the reason people sense that crime is going up is that it seems people are trying to steal from us every day, either by scam phone calls, emails, or web scams.

True, and none of those are counted in the statistics, are they? If someone tried to pickpocket you in the street or tried to break into your garage, you could report it to the police and they could investigate it. How do you report a scam text message claiming to be the turnpike authority about your unpaid tolls? It's not even worth the bother.

Maybe one reason crime is "going down" is that criminals are turning to ways of committing and attempting crimes that are harder to account for.

[JohnH]

Part of the reason people sense that crime is going up is that it seems people are trying to steal from us every day, either by scam phone calls, emails, or web scams.

This is an actual real thing. A lot of people's food stamp money is being stolen, and apparently nothing can be done about it, other than filing a lawsuit against whatever convenience store conspires to do so. The federal government used to replace the funds, but this topped over $1 billion last year and Congress did not renew the appropriations for that. (It is a very good question why the relevant agencies involved don't just claw back the stolen funds from the convenience store, etc. that is involved in the fraudulent withdrawals.)

[Soloist]

Part of the reason people sense that crime is going up is that it seems people are trying to steal from us every day, either by scam phone calls, emails, or web scams.

True, and none of those are counted in the statistics, are they? If someone tried to pickpocket you in the street or tried to break into your garage, you could report it to the police and they could investigate it. How do you report a scam text message claiming to be the turnpike authority about your unpaid tolls? It's not even worth the bother.

Maybe one reason crime is "going down" is that criminals are turning to ways of committing and attempting crimes that are harder to account for.

Wife I wonder if you’ve hit the nail on the head. Crime hasn’t gone down, but now, instead of criminals putting in an honest day’s work pickpocketing and mugging people, they can just sit on their couch or in a comfy chair and come up with ways to trick people out of their money. It’s easier to get away with too, and offers more victims

Btw, i’m glad I heard about the toll thing before I received my first text messages, a month or two ago. It happened to coincide with me actually having to deal with a toll bill and I think I would’ve gotten nabbed by it potentially

[temporal1]

Wife I wonder if you’ve hit the nail on the head. Crime hasn’t gone down, but now, instead of criminals putting in an honest day’s work pickpocketing and mugging people, they can just sit on their couch or in a comfy chair and come up with ways to trick people out of their money. It’s easier to get away with too, and offers more victims

Btw, i’m glad I heard about the toll thing before I received my first text messages, a month or two ago. It happened to coincide with me actually having to deal with a toll bill and I think I would’ve gotten nabbed by it potentially.

i’ve received a number of scam texts without expectng them, the toll thing is one.
this was an easy one for me, i can’t remember when i’ve been on a toll road, outside of visiting Washington, that would be my family’s car.

my go to:
when i don’t recognize a text or phone number, i google it. typically, it shows up as a scam right away.

also, there are ways to report suspected fraudulent contacts. i sometimes use those. never received feedback.

i rarely answer a phone call if it’s an unknown number.
this can cause an occasional important call to be missed. most are very understanding of this.
sometimes people will text before they call, to let me expect the odd call. it works well when they text ahead.

every time i sidestep trouble, i’m happy.

i’m not tech-savvy.
my family has a low opinion of my ability to deal with tech. so, each time i manage, i smile+chuckle. “i did it!”

i like to remember, “i taught them how to use a spoon”.

[temporal1]

Part of the reason people sense that crime is going up is that it seems people are trying to steal from us every day, either by scam phone calls, emails, or web scams.

This is an actual real thing. A lot of people's food stamp money is being stolen, and apparently nothing can be done about it, other than filing a lawsuit against whatever convenience store conspires to do so. The federal government used to replace the funds, but this topped over $1 billion last year and Congress did not renew the appropriations for that. (It is a very good question why the relevant agencies involved don't just claw back the stolen funds from the convenience store, etc. that is involved in the fraudulent withdrawals.)

yes. and.
DOGE recently reported SOCIAL SECURITY receives daily fraudulent calls attempting to steal people’s SSNs, or get fraudulent numbers. Along with their many revelations of waste+fraud, on every level.

i’ve met IRL people over decades who openly admit, “they’re doing it, everyone’s doing it, why shouldn’t i”?