Why Crime Rates Fell

by John E. Conklin

Criminal Justice Plummeting crime rates were front-page headlines throughout the 1990s, but criminologists have yet to provide a satisfactory explanation for this historically unprecedented decline. This new book fills that gap by using published research and available data to assess the various explanations offered by law-enforcement officials, political leaders, and criminologists in the New York Times during the 1990s. Why Crime Rates Fell also assesses the validity of the explanations offered in the newspaper for the decline in crime rates. Hypotheses put forth by political leaders, law-enforcement officials, and criminologists are assessed using published research and available data. The author's goal is to provide understanding of why crime rates fell in order to point the way to measures that can save more lives and property. This new book will teach the reader what criminologists have discovered about the causes of crime and show them how research can be used to understand a social phenomenon that has received extensive media coverage in recent years. Criminologists, sociologists and anyone interested in criminal justice.

224 pages, Paperback

First published December 5, 2002

Reviews

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting, decent survey of various studies about why crime fell in the 90's. Conklin cites studies that show police presence and patrols had virtually no or a very minor impact on crime, but that filling up prisons and imposing longer prison terms undoubtedly did. As many people as we lock up in America, how could it not? Conklin covers the many complications of such an expensive and blunt force approach, and also points that it may have diminishing returns, which could be what we are seeing today.

One of the more interesting points is how the age structure of society contributes to crime levels -- more young people, more crime. And although the legitimacy of institutions like family increased and probably contributed to the drop in crime, this is likely due to a better economy, which makes for more stable families. Rates of drug use, and types of drugs used changed as well and probably had an impact.

This book is a mixed bag -- no mention is made of the removal of lead from gasoline, even though this was known when this book was published and is accepted by neuroscientists as a factor. See Evolutionary Psychology and Violence by Richard Bloom for example, published the very same year. That book also has an excellent essay on Ernest Becker's ideas about fear of death fueling violence.