It’s no secret that crime is on the rise in the United States. While it may not be rising in every area, it’s alarming to see how many areas it is increasing. As it becomes a pressing issue, and impacts all sorts of communities, more and more people have started to become concerned.
The increase in crime has sparked public debate, and has become an issue amongst community members. There are several different theories that are believed to contribute to the crime rate, from lack of supporting the police, to economic challenges. Here are some of the key reasons why the experts believe crime is on the rise.
Inequality
Many believe that inequality and economic instability is the reason for crime. After all, with inflation and rising costs, many people turn to crime as their only hope to be able to pay the bills. When so many Americans are struggling to meet their basic needs, many of them turn to criminal activity out of desperation.
This is nothing new. We saw during the pandemic that there was a considerable amount of crime as people found themselves without job security and in financial duress while the other half of society was making more money than ever.
Throughout history we’ve seen that economic inequality has been shown to correlate with periods of high crime. Studies indicate that when there’s an enormous gap between rich and poor in the community, it creates significant tensions and ultimately the likelihood of crime.
Substance Abuse
The US has seen a significant increase in substance abuse, from street drugs to pharmaceuticals. This has in turn created a substance abuse crisis that has left many people addicted and without adequate support. In turn, these untreated substance addictions lead to crime and impulsive behaviors.
This is why it’s so important that communities have drug assistance programs in place so that people have somewhere to turn should they find themselves addicted to a dangerous substance.
Mental Health Crisis
After the lockdown, many people admitted that they saw a dip in their mental health. We are seeing a mental health crisis not only in the United States, but all over the world, as many people find themselves struggling to grapple with the pressures of daily life. Politics, the rising cost of living, and the sheer pressure of paying your bills is enough to make anybody stressed. However, when you add that on top of a condition like anxiety or depression, we’re seeing a significant amount of individuals struggling to stay mentally sane.
Criminal Policies
There are many that believe that the justice system is not doing its job to protect the community from criminals. Since there’s so many policies in place to reduce incarceration rates, many people feel that this is putting more criminals on the streets.
While this is up for debate, it continues to be a serious disagreement amongst community members. Many people believe that people should be given a new chance at life despite their criminal history, while others believe they should be locked up and unable to commit more crimes.
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