Critically think about the drop in crime in the US at the end of the nineties - Essay Example

Decline in the Rate of Crime in the United s The bureau of justice statistics conducts yearly national reports reporting the rate of crime in the United States. The rate in crime in the 1960’s was relatively low, making a steady increase from the on till the early years of the 1990’s especially in the total violent crime division (Donohue & Levitt, 2000, 97). However, in the preceding years, there was relative drop in the rates of all divisions of the crime division. Supporting arguments suggest that the cause of the drop in criminal activities after 1993 was due to the amendment of law that legalized abortion in many states (Jenkins, 1988, 8).

There was another hypothesis developed that the drop in crime rate was due to the introduction of the Three Strikes Law. This allocation provided that any felony criminal who was arrested on a third offence would be sentenced to life imprisonment (Rushefsky, 2007, 535). The first of the states to allot this was the State of Washington, subsequent steps to continue with this step taking place in Colorado, Arkansas, Nevada and so on. This practice has led to a general reduction in the rate of crime n the United States, with the year 2010 being the safest moments of all.

With the homicide division having the lowest record of crime, there has been a decline in other divisions such as violent crimes, rape and robbery. (Press 2010, 135)In conclusion, there are two hypotheses describing the decline in the rate of crime in the United States. The introduction of the Three Strikes Law and the legalization of abortion have contributed to the decline in crime in the United States (Wilensky, 2002, 235). However, there has also been overall improvement in the administration of justice.

ReferencesJenkins, P. 1988. Myth and murder: the serial killer panic of 1983-1985. Criminal Justice Research Bulletin. 3(11) 1-7.Donohue, J. & Levitt, S. 2000. The Impact in Legalized Abortion on Crime". Berkeley Program in Law & Economics, Working Paper Series pg.97 Rushefsky, M. 2007. Public Policy in the United States: At the Dawn of the Twenty-First Century M.E. Sharpe: New York pg.534-535Wilensky, H. 2002.Rich Democracies: Political Economy, Public Policy, and Performance. University of California: California pg.

235Press, B. 2010.Crime in the United States 2010. Bernan Press: New York pg. 136