As our nation attempts to get greater control of the high levels of violent crime here, it’s worthwhile to take a look at the statistics relating to crime. Some of the data that has come in from sites that specialize in crime statistics, like the Intelius felony dataset study, offer up some interesting and sometimes surprising conclusions.
One piece of information that comes from a study of US crime data is the degree to which drug-related crime has remained a constant in this country. Though there are variables that can be looked at as far as crime statistics go, the truth is that the top crimes committed by each active generation in the nation right now are drug-related. The top crimes for generation X, Y and Z are drug possession and theft, which is usually also a drug-related crime. Statisticians are able to separate out the types of crimes committed by felons according to their age groups, but overall, we see drugs having an impact on crime in each generation. What’s troubling is that these high levels of drug-related crime come even after many years of our nation’s “war on drugs.” Obviously, for all the time and money spent on combating the high levels of drug abuse here, this war is being lost on the front lines.
Crimes Studied by State
Another interesting piece of information that comes from the analysis of a crime statistic chart is the way that state population levels impact crime. It may seem counter-intuitive, but a study of crime rates across the US shows that states with a smaller population level have a higher level of crime per capita. This may be because larger population areas in cities have more “eyes” watching for crime, and greater numbers of police officers out making arrests. All of this is why statistically, it appears to be more dangerous to live in a sparsely populated state like Oregon than in New York.
The Opioid Addiction Problem
Throughout history, certain drugs have caught on with the drug-using population and have wreaked havoc on people. Today, opioid drug addiction is a major problem all over the United States, and it is a problem that is spiraling out of control. The mortality rate for people with this addiction is very high, and it is having a tragic impact on the lives of young people today. More study is definitely needed, but our efforts toward really waging war on drugs must be more carefully focused on areas where the war can truly make a difference in people’s lives.
