Mysterious drop in crime may be linked to small-scale efforts
Cook and his colleagues studied the role of private security efforts in tackling the problem of crime.
“There are more private security guards than there are police in this country,” Cook said. “I believe that private action, though it has been largely ignored, deserves part of the credit.”
One reason for a recent increase in the number of private security guards is the rise of “business improvement districts” — nonprofit organizations of businesses that tax themselves to pay for extra measures to make their districts cleaner and safer, including private security guards and surveillance.
Cook and his colleagues studied 30 business improvement districts in Los Angeles between 1997 and 2008, and found that their efforts caused an average of 28 fewer serious crimes per neighborhood, which represents an 11 percent drop in crime in those neighborhoods.
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Look at the idiot’s comment
The Notorious G.O.P on February 17, 2013 at 10:19 PM
So a well regulated militia (private security) really works. Imagine that, libtards.
platypus on February 17, 2013 at 10:20 PM
Guys walking around “zones” or “neighborhoods” in uniforms with weapons will deter criminal activity, whether they are “privately contracted” or public employees….
Tim Zank on February 17, 2013 at 10:25 PM
Violent crime hate has dropped 50% in the last 20 years for one simple reason. We put and KEEP more violent people in prison.
brewcrew67 on February 17, 2013 at 10:29 PM
Correct. However, since “realignment” — i.e., early release from prison which started in 2012, crime has increased in CA. http://goo.gl/J7R0T
Blake on February 17, 2013 at 10:40 PM
During that period the number of CCW shall issue states has increased with direct corelations. Firearms ownership are also up.
But we cannot look there, that would be admiting that the second amendment has value.
jaydee_007 on February 17, 2013 at 10:40 PM
Bah. Fad Science again.
Dusty on February 17, 2013 at 10:52 PM
With the baby boom you got a crime boom too. Now that the B-Boomers are shuffling off the mortal coil and criminality is largely for the young, it is natural to see a drop.
BL@KBIRD on February 17, 2013 at 11:01 PM
We don’t actually know if this is a reduction overall in crime. It may simply be a case of shifting it around. The places with the increased security have a drop; did other nearby places have an increase compared to what they would have had without their neighbor’s security?
Steven Den Beste on February 17, 2013 at 11:20 PM
Feh. Obviously the crime rate drop was due to a passing asteroid.
Seriously, these local areas started arming themselves. Of course the crime rate went down. It might have gone down even more if more law abiding citizens had armed themselves, too.
apostic on February 17, 2013 at 11:47 PM
Naaah… it’s because all the good stuff has already been stolen.
Don’t these “scientists” know ‘nuthin ?
viking01 on February 18, 2013 at 12:00 AM
[Steven Den Beste on February 17, 2013 at 11:20 PM]
Good point.
Dusty on February 18, 2013 at 12:08 AM
RIF
hillbillyjim on February 18, 2013 at 12:19 AM
Here’s the thing: (that they won’t say)
An armed population is a safer population.
hillbillyjim on February 18, 2013 at 12:21 AM
Indeed… and in Ogabe’s and Mayor Tinkerbell’s Chicago Way where only the criminals are permitted to have the guns the fear of retaliation for reporting crime becomes very real.
viking01 on February 18, 2013 at 12:32 AM
I think there’s something more to it than that. Otherwise Somalia and the northern Pakistan should be some of the safest places on Earth.
Stoic Patriot on February 18, 2013 at 7:15 AM
But, but…more guns are never the answer!!! [Insert rhetorical strawman about reasonable people agreeing with me].
NickelAndDime on February 18, 2013 at 8:51 AM
So, they are claiming that good people with guns reduce crime?
Gee….who would have thought that was the case? /sarc
Smallest scale effort that “may be” responsible for safer neighborhoods: Gun ownership by citizens. Guns carried by citizens. Guns purchased by citizens.
Simple law change, such as eliminate all “Gun Free Zones” that were created and have been proven ineffective at best. Allow citizens to exercise their 2nd Amendment Right, a la “Vermont style” carry.
Worked for decades in this country.
ProfShadow on February 18, 2013 at 9:41 AM