Legal Commentary

FBI Crime Report: Violent Crime Drops Most in Areas With Less Incarceration

By Jeralyn

The FBI crime report released today (referenced here with respect to marijuana) also shows a drop in violent crime. And, contrary to the notion often expressed by crime warriors that there is less crime because more offenders are locked up, this Justice Policy Institute factsheet (pdf) shows the opposite: Areas with lower incarceration rates experienced greater crime reductions.

The number of violent offenses reported to law enforcement fell 1.4 percent in 2007. Both violent and property crimes fell in three of the four regions of the country. Only the southern region experienced an increase in these two categories.

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While jails and prison populations continue to grow, the growth rate slowed in 2007, coinciding with the drop in crime. From 2005-2006, violent crime increased slightly (1.9 percent) while prison and jail populations increased 2 and 2.5 percent, respectively.

As the growth rates of prisons and jails fell, so did the violent crime rate (down 1.4 percent), possibly indicating that lowering the number of people imprisoned can be an effective way to
increase public safety.

The policies of America, prison nation, don't work. It's time to get smarter, not tougher, on crime.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on September 15, 2008 (boomark / email).