How Can The Decline In Serious Crime Since The Mid 1990’s Be Explained?

One most consider the factors and what led to this decline. Analyzing these factors can help predict future trends with crime. There are numerous factors that may have factored in the decline in juvenile crime rates.

Could the decline in juvenile crime be influenced by the improvements in the economy during the 1990’s? According to the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics the percentage of children living in poverty feel sharply from 1993-2000, especially for African American children. The reduction of poverty contributes to better parenting practices and improved school performance which may lower delinquency. During the same time period, unemployment declined and gave teenagers with limited skills and education the opportunity for work. Employment is a contributor to crime reduction due to their job commitment and prevents opportunities to commit crime.

Could the decline in crime rates be contributed by improvements in police practices? More police were hired during the 1990s and a new method of policing was introduced. Community Policing made efforts to crack down on specific crimes such as, drug sells, guns, gangs, and to lower crime in locations know for higher crime rates. Community Policing is problem-oriented policing where the police attempt to address the problems that contribute to crime. In addition, other cities did not adopt Community Policing and reported a reduction in crime according to researchers.

Were more juveniles incarcerated at a higher rate in the 1990s that may have led to the decline in crime? Incarcerating juveniles prevents crime because juveniles are unable to commit crimes on the street, and their incarceration may prevent others from committing crime.

Overall, besides these factors there are numerous other factors that may have led to the decrease in crime during the 1990s. Future trends depicting an increase or decrease in crime will be determined by the economy and the current crime control strategies utilized by law enforcement, preventing delinquency, improved incarceration methods for juveniles, and effective methods to rehabilitate juvenile offenders in the United States. All these factors are important because they significantly impact the causes of delinquency.