Crime

The Issue at a Glance

Violent crime skyrocketed in the U.S starting in the late 1960s, a trend that continued into the early 1990s. It's no wonder that crime has consistently been one of the public's major concerns over the past three decades.

But since the mid-1990s, there has been a dramatic drop in crime against both people and property. The National Crime Victimization Survey, designed to pick up both reported and unreported crime, has found the overall crime rate is lower than when the survey began in 1973. However, the decline in the crime rate has leveled off in recent years. In fact, the FBI's survey of crimes reported to the police found violent crime increased slightly in 2005 and 2006 (although it's still far below the level of the 1990s). Criminal justice experts attribute the overall drop in crime to a decline in cocaine use; the fact that more criminals are in prison serving longer sentences; improved police tactics, and demographics -- there are fewer young males, the group that is most prone to violent crime.

Despite the much lower crime rate, opinion surveys show that the public was slow to feel safer, and is now growing more concerned. But few say they've been a victim of violent crime, and crime does not rank as high as other priorities. Survey results show the public tends to simultaneously hold both "liberal" and "conservative" views about crime. For example, surveys find majorities in favor of both the death penalty and gun control.

The Price of Prisons

In the 1980s, the United States embarked on a program of more severe punishment for those convicted of violent crime. Arguing that courts and prosecutors frequently let criminals off easily, legislators in many states reduced the power of judges with mandatory sentencing, which sets minimum prison terms for crimes.

As a result of these longer sentences and a rapid increase in the number of drug offenders (who now account for more than a fifth of state prison inmates and more than half of federal prisoners), the nation's prison population has soared. The number of people behind bars in the U.S. has doubled since 1990, and now numbers just under 2 million. Many prisons are overcrowded, and state budgets are strained by the high cost of incarceration. Officials in many states are showing a willingness to experiment with new ways of handling criminals.

Even so, many Americans believe that the justice system is not tough enough on crime, particularly on violent criminals. The police get generally favorable ratings in opinion surveys, but the public does not have much confidence in the criminal justice system as a whole. African
Americans and Hispanics trust the criminal justice system less than whites, and African Americans are far more likely to say there is police brutality in their area. At the same time, there is strong public support for dealing with social problems that can provide a breeding ground for criminal behavior. While a majority favors tough sentences as a means of dealing with most violent criminals, strong support also exists for the use of alternatives to prison for non-violent offenders.

Another question is what to do with prisoners who finish their sentences and return to community life. Many of those given mandatory sentences in the 1980s and 1990s are close to finishing their time and due to be released in the next few years. According to an estimate by the Urban Institute, half a million prison inmates were released in 2000. Many criminal justice experts worry whether communities have enough jobs and support services to keep these former prisoners from returning to crime.

Matters of Life and Death

The ultimate get-tough punishment is the death penalty, which was briefly struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1970s but gradually reinstated since then by many states and the federal government. More than 3,500 people were on death row in the U.S. at the start of 2001, and in the last 25 years more than 700 prisoners have been executed. But a series of cases where condemned prisoners were found to be innocent has put the validity of capital punishment back in the news. Illinois has imposed a moratorium on executions after the thirteenth man sentenced to death in as many years was found to be innocent. A Columbia University study found two out of three capital convictions were overturned on appeal, often because of incompetent defense lawyers or because overzealous prosecutors withheld evidence.

A strong majority of the public favors capital punishment, even though a majority says capital punishment doesn't deter crime. Support does fall somewhat, however, when surveys offer the option of life sentences without parole. Majorities of Americans believe an innocent person has been sentenced to death.

Juvenile Crime

Serious crime by young people skyrocketed in the late 1980s, peaking in 1994. Since then, however, juvenile crime has declined even faster than overall crime, and violent offenses by juveniles have fallen back to 1980s levels. In 2000, juveniles accounted for 17 percent of all violent crime arrests and 32 percent of all property crime arrests, according to federal statistics. Juveniles account for only 9 percent of those arrested for murder, but make up one-quarter of all robbery arrests and 53 percent of all arson arrests. Since the number of Americans under the age of 18 is projected to increase, some juvenile justice experts argue the juvenile crime rate may increase as well.

As juvenile crime increased in the 1990s, nearly every state passed laws making it easier to prosecute juveniles in adult courts for serious offenses. Supporters say many juveniles are hardened criminals despite their youth, and it is not appropriate to handle serious crimes like murder and rape in the juvenile justice system. Critics say juveniles tried as adults don't get any of the counseling and rehabilitation services that might prevent them from committing more crimes. In surveys, most Americans endorse trying some juveniles as adults, but they also believe rehabilitation programs can be effective.

Choicework

For additional perspective on how society could address this issue, visit our Discussion Guide which sets out three alternative approaches. The points of view are drawn both from what the experts say about an issue and from what the public thinks about it, based on surveys and focus groups. We call this section "Choicework." Each point of view comes with the arguments for and against, along with some potential costs and tradeoffs.

• One approach emphasizes "getting tough," with stronger enforcement efforts and longer prison sentences for offenders;
• A second alternative advocates addressing the root causes of crime, such as drug abuse and joblessness;
• And a third approach contends the nation must place greater stress on rehabilitating offenders, particularly juveniles.