The Crime Rate: How Low Can It Go?

Discussion Questions:
1. According to the article, how have crime figures changed since the 1990’s? Is this true for all sections of New York?
According to the article crime figures had changed since the 1990’s by decreasing, crime rate had decrease even though is not true for all sections of New York because in some places it might increase while in others it may decrease.
2. Is the reduction in crime explainable? What reasons does this article give? Do you agree with them?
According to the reading there are two ways in which the reduction of crime can be explainable, some believed that crime was created because of poverty, joblessness and one of the mayor reasons for why crime dropped was because of crack, the cocaine epidemic had stopped. The other reason that many debate about is that crime had stopped because of the police; they have new ways of how to combat crime. I agree with the reason that crime exist because of poverty, then there would be no crime since there would be no reason for robbing or killing.
3. What are the positives and negatives of Operation Impact?
The positives of Operation Impact are that they are tracking down “Impact Zones” this is good because things would be under control which will mean that crime rate would decrease. The negatives of Operation Impact are that the rookies police officers are the ones that are send to the impact zone. I don’t think they have enough experience to go and face such dangerous zones, the police officers that should be send there are the ones that have more experience.
4. Do you believe that the pressure to crime has resulted in overly aggressive police tactics?
I don’t believe that the pressure to lower crime has resulted in overly aggressive police tactics, I think that crime had stopped due to the strength that the law has on a person, things are more complicated now, if you commit a small crime you will not just get a ticket you will have to spend the night in jail and then go to court. Is such a long process that people just rather not go through, there fore crime has stopped because laws are enforced but not because police officers are aggressive.
5. What factors does professor Karmen say contribute to the reduction in crime? Can you add any other possibilities?
The factors that professor Karmen say contributed to the reduction in crime is that a lot more students are finishing High School and moving on to college, immigration is also a great factor and the job that the police officers do play a mayor role on the decrease of crime.
6. Do you feel that the “law crime rate” That New York enjoys today is something to celebrate? Why or why not?
I do think that the “low crime rate” that New York enjoys today is something to celebrate since the crime has lowered and it keeps lowering and this is because many are finishing High School and going on to college therefore they are getting an education.