Why is there such an escalation in crime?

I disagree with those who believe there's no escalation in crime; I've been on this planet 57 years, and I recall a time when murder was relatively uncommon and was front-page news. In my area, it now barely rates a mention on the back page.

Part of the problem, of course, is the gross proliferation of firearms. Anyone who wants one, WILL obtain one, either legally or by other means.

Another is that we do not provide adequate care for the mentally ill. No one can tell me that a mother who murders her own child is sane.

Perhaps the biggest problem is the complete loss of hope for ordinary people. I believe they think they've got nothing to lose. Jail may well be a better place for them than wherever they are now; they don't give a rat's @ss what happens to them. And sadly, more of us become mired in hopelessness every single day.

Crime has existed since we have. At first word was spread from person to person. When writing was invented books and newspapers eventually evolved. Until the invention of the radio news was still slow and often only local but you started to hear about more of it.

Wire services brought more news from out of the local areas. When TV came along you heard more still. Cable and satellites made it seem as if they world had suddenly turned very violent when in fact the news was much more highly reported and available.

In 1871 a man in a small town here in Missouri was accused of killing 9 men and 2 women on his farm. One of the men was my great great uncle William. The only newspaper report of it was from a newspaper three towns away and mostly it only said that the local police were investigating a possible murder. There was no follow up at all that we've been able to find. Mostly we've gone by old letters kept by relatives and the story they passed down through the family.

The only real reason why there is more actual crime now is because there are more people now. With the invention of the internet, video cameras, cell phones, larger police force, and the willingness of people to actually report crimes very few go unrecorded now.

Rape is still the exception to that. It seems women don't want to face their accusers because the crime is so very personal. I'm guessing that there are at least three times the number of rapes than are actually reported.

I also TOTALLY disagree with those who say there's no escalation in crime, that this is just more media hyped. That's bologna! Obviously these folks have not taken a look at government statistics, numbers don't lie... Crime in some cases jumped from 700,000 incidents report to over 3,000,000 cases reported in the last TWO years?! That's not hype, that's facts.

Youth across the states take part in crimes against humanity with ugly vigor, and many of these adults alike, are helping these statics grow. Collective awareness needs to be brought to all. Thanks, there is something going on

Sign of the times that God wrote about.

A criminalology student rites. For my dissertation this question was posed. The essay concluded that there has been no significant escaaltion in crime per se over many years. Probably three hundred years in Europe. In 1700's London England were 'The Eye Gougers' and the 'Strangling Boys' who robbed people walking at night and often left them for dead. There were 'Lighters', who led people home by lamplight but sometimes up a dark alley to be robbed and left without clothing even. Children were used to drop through fanlights and then open main doors. Pickpockets thrived in London's crowded, mud-filled streets, shopkeepers used faulty scales to swindle their customers, millers put large stones in their flour sacks and judges were regularly bribed. On balance there is probably less inclination to pursue immorality. The incidents you mention were all popular in those byegone days too.

There is no rise in crime. It's actually been getting lower. It's merely the coverage of crimes that has increased.

more coverage on crimes and more criminals getting caught due to technology

I totally agree with REBEL ROAD SISTA