For the First Time in Years, Violent Crime Is Down Across the Nation

Oct 13, 2026

Report highlights a national decline in U.S. violent crime in 1995 compared with 1994, citing fewer robberies, murders, and crimes overall. It attributes the change to population shifts among young males, tougher sentencing that keeps repeat offenders incarcerated longer, and improved policing methods such as walking beats and early intervention. Sidebars discuss “broken window” policing, community policing successes, and concerns about rising teen crime with experts predicting worsening conditions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

CURRENT EVENTS

CRIME RATE DROPS

Sidelights

Better Policing

Broken Window Theory

Community Policing

Consider This

# For the First Time inYears,Violent Crime IsDown Across The Nation NEW YORK,N.Y.一 Tired of bad news? Here's some good news for a change:in 1995,the U.S.crime rate dropped.Across the nation,from big cities to small towns,there were fewer robberies,fewer mur-ders,and fewer crimes of most kinds thanin 1994.Nationally,murders fell by12 percent and serious crimes of all kindsfell by 2 percent.In some cities,the crimerate dropped dramaticaly. # CURRENT EVENTS CRIME RATE DROPS Members of Chicago's Gang Violence Reduction Progam talk to a gong member.Early intervention has allowed police to cout down on crime. ·In New York City,major crimes—murder,rape,robbery,auto theft,assanlt,and burglary—dropped by 17.5 percentbetween 1994 and 1995. ·In Chicago,most crimes dropped anaverage of 10 percent during 1995. ●In Seattle,murders alone dropped by32 percent in 1995. The drop in the crime rate reverses atrend that had alarmed the nation.Duringmuch of the 1980s and early 1990s,crimerates rose steeply.Fear of violent crimeseemed to be everywhere. What happened?Why did the crimerate,after rising for so many years,sud-denly drop? Criminologists—scientists who studycrime—say the drop is due to changes inour society and in the way we treat crime. Population Change.Most crimes are Established 1902Volume 95Woek of fobruary 5-29,1996 —James Nubile/JB Pichures committed by males between the ages of15 and 29.During the last few years,how-ever,the number of people in that popula-tion group has declined. Tougher Laws.Most crimes are alsocommitted by a small number of criminalswho break the law repeatedly.Toughersentencing has put many of those repeatcriminals away in prison for longer peri-ods of time,keeping them off the streets. Why did the crimerate,after risingfor so many years,suddenly drop? # Sidelights CRIME RATEcontinued from page one “Most prisoners are violent or repeatoffenders,"says William Bennett,the for-mer U.S.Secretary of Education."Prisonsdo cut crime." ●Today,about 800,000 menand women are locked in U.S.prisons.But in the 1700s andearly 1800s,there were no largeprisons in this country.How werepeople in those days punished fortheir crimes?Take a look below: Better Policing.In many cities,offi-cials also give credit for the drop in thecrime rate to better methods of policing.Many police departments have changedthe way they do business.In many crime-ridden neighborhoods,police get out oftheir patrol cars and walk the beat.Onceon the sidewalks,they can intervene earlyin situations before crimes are committed. Eduardo Citinblum/ONYX ●TAR AND FEATHERS.The man in the drawing below was found Repeat offenders ore getting longer terms inprison—leoding to overcrowded conditioms. guilty of “If we see somebody we don't know,weask them what they're doing there,"saysa New York City police officer."If thestory doesn't check out,we arrest themfor trespassing.Now we don't see asmany drug dealers around here." telling lies. His neigh- in general,the crime rate among teensaged 14 to 17 continues to rise.In thelast four years,the murder rate for thatgroup rose by 16 percent,while the mur-der rate for other groups was dropping.And experts think there's more bad newsto come. bors poured tar over his ha amm Arechig。 bare body, then stuck feathers on 'Broken Window′Theory the tar.The That method of policing is based on the"broken window"theory of crime control.According to the theory,minor violations,such as littering and vandalism,create a“disorderly environment”that encouragesmore serious crimes.The police,by arrest-ing people for minor crimes,keep order inneighborhoods and prevent major crimes,reducing the overall crime rate. man was “This is the calm before the storm,”says criminologist James Allen Fox,whopredicts a “bloodbath”of teenage violencein the future.Nearly all of the problemsthat contribute to youth crime—childabuse,poverty,and deterioratingschools—are gett

FAQs

How did the U.S. crime rate change from 1994 to 1995?

In 1995, the U.S. crime rate dropped nationwide. The report notes fewer robberies and fewer murders, with murders down 12% and serious crimes down 2%.

What reasons do criminologists give for the sudden drop in crime?

Criminologists attribute the decline to population changes affecting the ages most likely to commit many crimes, and to tougher laws and sentencing that remove repeat offenders for longer periods.

What is the “broken window” theory mentioned in the report?

The report explains it as a crime-control approach where minor violations create a disorderly environment that can lead to more serious crimes. Police arrest people for minor crimes to maintain order and reduce overall crime.

Oct 13, 2026

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