In New York they'll kill you, but at least the video's safe
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.In New York they'll kill you, but at least the video's safe
New York now has proportionately fewer burglaries than London, and the rate in Los Angeles has fallen behind that of Sydney, according to figures reported by the New York Times yesterday. Incidence of property crime for the United States as a whole is so far down since 1980 - led by a 50 per cent fall in the burglary rate - that the US is now comparable with the Netherlands, Canada or Australia in its overall crime rate.
However, the precipitate fall in burglary is not matched by a similar fall in violent crime. Despite a recent drop, it has risen overall since 1980 by 6 per cent. The US has up to 18 times more murders than any other industrial democracy. And while Londoners are 60 per cent more likely to be burgled than New Yorkers, they are five times less likely to be robbed and ten times less likely to be murdered.
A variety of explanations is offered for these trends, from the declining number of teenage males in the population as a whole, to the dying out of the professional burglar's "art". The switch from heroin to crack cocaine as the most prevalent street drug is also offered as a partial explanation, as addicts find burglary a slower and less reliable means of raising cash than robbery. Criminologists are cited as judging tougher policing, longer prison sentences and an increase in the number of burglar alarms to be contributing factors, but not the whole explanation. - Mary Dejevsky, Washington
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments