Crime Rates - The Lying Media and How It Affects Us

The mass perception of the USA as a country seething with crime appears to be - at first glance - an incontestable truth.  This supposed truth is thrust into our homes by a news hungry media who broadcast the most gruesome, debauched and despicable aspects of life in the USA twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Death and destruction permeates our existence as a matter of daily discourse - reaching into our minds, playing with our emotions, bending our will, depressing us, taunting us, holding our very souls hostage with a frightening montage of dead children, grieving families, flashing police lights, burning buildings, riots in the streets, yellow crime scene tape, dour newscasters and pompous politicians looking for someone - or thing - to blame, so they may make the evening broadcast and further their personal agenda.

But are we truly a more violent and crime ridden Country than we were years ago?  Has it all gone to hell?  Is this Country a big, bad scary place?

In a word?  No.

When many of us were young, before electronic media was so prevalent, our news came in three ways - journalism, television and radio - and it wasn't a constant in our lives.  Most of us listened to the radio in the morning, hearing the news along with sports, weather and music.  At work, we worked!  No laptops or cell phones.  Newspapers had a morning edition and a Five Star Final evening edition.  Then we went home for dinner before watching the 10:00 news and then Johnny Carson.

Our news came from what we perceived to be trusted sources while images and video were self censored by the broadcast outlets.

Now?  The perception of runaway crime explodes like projectile vomiting from a myriad of broadcast outlets, not the three or four we had long ago, and these outlets are forced to fill countless hours of empty air - and does so with an aggressive onslaught of crime riddled pictures, videos and voiced opinions - never mind the facts, just get the story out, speculate ad-nauseum, grab the ratings and fix any wrongs by backpedaling tomorrow.

We are buried in a self-induced tidal wave of information that washes over us while surfing the internet, from sources of questionable intent... and content.  Conjecture, speculation and bombastic opinion disguised as news bears down on us from every electronic gadget made by man - or so it seems.  Texts. Updates. Tweets. Blogs. Nowadays, the business of news is like a two headed snake attempting to eat itself.

But how do we quantify if crime is worse... or better?

In the statistics below - compiled by the  Disaster Center using the  FBI Crime Statistics page - you might be surprised to learn our current Murder Rate is not only at its lowest since 1960 - the beginning of the FBI Stat Page - but in fact is lower than any time dating back to 1957 and to be precise, would be lower than the rate in 1950!

All violent crime reached a relative high between 1980 and 1992 before tailing off.  In the last 20+ years, violent crime has fallen better than 50%, leaving our Country a much safer, saner place than the main stream (and not so main stream) media would have you believe.

The murder rate reached a high of 10.2 per 100,000 in 1980 vs the current rate of 4.5 per 100,000 - again, lower that at anytime since 1957.

Rape climbed to a high of  42.8 per 100,000 in 1992 before falling to 25.2 per 100,000 in 2013, its lowest rate since 1973.

Aggravated Assault's high was also in 1992  - 441.8 -  while it now sits at 229.1 per 100,000, lowest since 1974. 

The total violent crime rate hit a high of 758.1 per 100,000 in 1992 and has now dropped to 367.9 per 100,000 - its lowest since 1970!

					Forcible	Aggravated
Year	Population		Violent	Murder	Rape	assault
1960	179,323,175		160.9	5.1	9.6	86.1
1961	182,992,000		158.1	4.8	9.4	85.7
1962	185,771,000		162.3	4.6	9.4	88.6
1963	188,483,000		168.2	4.6	9.4	92.4
1964	191,141,000		190.6	4.9	11.2	106.2
1965	193,526,000		200.2	5.1	12.1	111.3
1966	195,576,000		220.0	5.6	13.2	120.3
1967	197,457,000		253.2	6.2	14.0	130.2
1968	199,399,000		298.4	6.9	15.9	143.8
1969	201,385,000		328.7	7.3	18.5	154.5
					Forcible	Aggravated
Year	Population		Violent	Murder	Rape	assault
1970	203,235,298		363.5	7.9	18.7	164.8
1971	206,212,000		396.0	8.6	20.5	178.8
1972	208,230,000		401.0	9.0	22.5	188.8
1973	209,851,000		417.4	9.4	24.5	200.5
1974	211,392,000		461.1	9.8	26.2	215.8
1975	213,124,000		487.8	9.6	26.3	231.1
1976	214,659,000		467.8	8.7	26.6	233.2
1977	216,332,000		475.9	8.8	29.4	247.0
1978	218,059,000		497.8	9.0	31.0	262.1
1979	220,099,000		548.9	9.8	34.7	286.0
					Forcible	Aggravated
Year	Population		Violent	Murder	Rape	assault
1980	225,349,264		596.6	10.2	36.8	298.5
1981	229,146,000		594.3	9.8	36.0	289.7
1982	231,534,000		571.1	9.1	34.0	289.1
1983	233,981,000		537.7	8.3	33.7	279.2
1984	236,158,000		539.2	7.9	35.7	290.2
1985	238,740,000		556.6	8.0	37.1	302.9
1986	240,132,887		620.1	8.6	38.1	347.4
1987	243,400,000		609.7	8.3	37.4	351.3
1988	245,807,000		637.2	8.4	37.6	370.2
1989	248,239,000		663.1	8.7	38.1	383.4
					Forcible	Aggravated
Year	Population		Violent	Murder	Rape	assault
1990	248,709,873		731.8	9.4	41.2	424.1
1991	252,177,000		758.1	9.8	42.3	433.3
1992	255,082,000		757.5	9.3	42.8	441.8
1993	257,908,000		746.8	9.5	41.1	440.3
1994	260,341,000		713.6	9.0	39.3	427.6
1995	262,755,000		684.5	8.2	37.1	418.3
1996	265,284,000		636.6	7.4	36.3	390.9
1997	267,637,000		611.0	6.8	35.9	382.1
1998	270,296,000		566.4	6.3	34.4	360.5
1999	272,690,813		523	5.7	32.8	334.3
					Forcible	Aggravated
Year	Population		Violent	Murder	Rape	assault
2000	281,421,906		506.5	5.5	32	324.0
2001	285,317,559		504.5	5.6	31.8	318.6
2002	287,973,924		494.4	5.6	33.1	309.5
2003	290,690,788		475.8	5.7	32.3	295.4
2004	293,656,842		463.2	5.5	32.4	288.6
2005	296,507,061		469.0	5.6	31.8	290.8
2006	299,398,484		473.6	5.7	30.9	287.5
2007	301,621,157		466.9	5.6	30	283.8
2008	304,374,846		457.5	5.4	29.7	276.7
2009	307,006,550		431.9	5.0	29.1	264.7
					Forcible	Aggravated
Year	Population		Violent	Murder	Rape	assault
2010	309,330,219		404.5	4.8	27.7	252.8
2011	311,587,816		387.1	4.7	27	241.5
2012	313,873,685		387.8	4.7	27.1	242.8
2013	316,128,839		367.9	4.5	25.2	229.1

These aren't numbers twisted by agenda riddled outlets looking for the advertising dollar.  These are the raw statistics from the FBI.

In 1945, the Murder Rate was 3.84 per 100,000 (5831 Criminal Homicides / Population of 139.9 million) - the facts are, we just aren't that violent a country.

Our Country's murder rate puts us 111th out of 278 Countries in the world. Our gun murder rate is distorted terribly by the hi density, Democratically controlled cities of the USA - as can be seen below...

 

It's just not as bad as the media - both Liberal and Conservative alike - would have you believe.  So I tell you, unless you are in Chiraq or one of the other large, hi density cities of this Country, enjoy yourself.  Go for walks at night with your family.  Go on vacations and see this great Country!  Watch ballgames, see the sights and enjoy... enjoy... enjoy!  All while carrying and staying in Condition Yellow, of course, and remember... the Media is not your friend, they are here to make money, nothing more, nothing less.

Stay Safe and Carry Responsibly

Hipshot

If you enjoyed this article, you might like my new book -Concealed Carry and the War on the Second Amendment, a collection from the New Gunner Journal - It is now available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  If you have any questions about Concealed Carry or are sitting on the fence, this would make a nice Christmas present to learn about the lifestyle and those who live it.

Order now... "Concealed Carry and the War on the Second Amendment"

.45 Second Amendment Quotes and One-Liners

Second Amendment Quotes and One-Liners...

 

1. ·  An armed man is a Citizen. An unarmed man is a subject. 
2. ·  A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
   
3. ·  Glock: The original point and click interface.
4. ·  Gun Control is not about guns; it's about control.
5. ·  If guns are outlawed, can we use swords.
6. ·  If guns cause crime, then pencils cause misspelled words.
7. ·  Free Men do not ask permission to bear arms.
8. ·  If you don't know your Rights you don't have any.
9. ·  Those who trade Liberty for security have neither.
10. ·  The United States Constitution © 1791. All Rights Reserved
11. ·  What part of "shall not be infringed" do you not understand?
12. ·  The Second Amendment is in place in case they ignore the others.
13. ·  85,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.
14. ·  Guns only have two enemies: rust and Liberals.
    
15. ·  Know guns, know peace. No guns, no peace.
16. ·  You don't shoot to kill; you shoot to stay alive.
17. ·  911 - Government sponsored Dial-a-Prayer.
18. ·  Assault is a behavior, not a device.
19. ·  Criminals love gun control -- it makes their jobs safer.
20. ·  If guns cause crime, then matches cause arson.
21. ·  Only a government that is afraid of its citizens tries to control them.
22. ·  You only have the Rights you are willing to fight for.
23. ·  Enforce the "gun control" laws we have, don't make more.
24. ·  When you remove the people's right to bear arms, you create slaves.
25. ·  The American Revolution would never have happened with gun control.
26. ·  "…a government of the people, by the people, for the people….
27. ·  Gun control is hitting what you aim at.
28. ·  Those who live by the sword have a fighting chance.
    
29. ·  My Gun? I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
30. ·  Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation.
31. ·  Bill of Rights. Void where prohibited by Liberal law.
32. ·  The day they want my guns they'll have to bring theirs.
33. ·  An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.
34. ·  How can you praise freedom, and condemn that which gains and preserves it.
35. ·  Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.
36. ·  "…quemadmodum gladius neminem occidit, occidentis telum est." […a sword never kills
    anybody; it's a tool in the killer's hand.
37. ·  "The right to buy weapons is the right to be free.
38. ·  "Shooting. The only sport endorsed by the Founding Fathers.
39. ·  "My wife and my gun: 'til death do us part.
    
40. ·  "When they come for your guns, give them the ammo first!
41. ·  "If you are free to be a liberal -- thank a man with a gun!
42. ·  "Without my gun, the King of England could just come into my house and start quartering soldiers!"
43. ·  "The D.C. gun ban works - just ask James Brady."
44. ·  "Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my gun!"
45. ·  "Keep guns out of the hands of criminals, buy them for yourself."

Locked & Cocked - The Cowardice of Socialists - Inside School Shootings

For those who are uncomfortable carrying one in the chamber, I would ask how long you've owned guns?  I ask because I didn't own a gun until Dec of 2012, learning all the early safety rules from my Son.  I then took classes and read everything I could get my hands on, but it was a long journey from new gun owner to where I am now.

I am no expert by any definition you can think of, but I am comfortable carrying cocked and locked. This wasn't the case early on when I carried in my house - before receiving my CCL.  It was a bit unnerving to visualize one round sitting in the pipe awaiting the hammer, but I practiced and learned and as I had more questions, I searched for the answers and slowly came to the realization that one in the chamber was not only safe, but was the smart thing to do if I intended to carry.

I'm still learning every day.  I belong to several gun forums and I listen and learn from those who have been doing this a long time - far longer than I.  On the other hand, listening to someone who believes if you aren't comfortable carrying one in the pipe, then you shouldn't be carrying at all, I think they should remember not all gun owners grew up with guns and don't have a life long rapport with a loaded weapon.  Not all of us are "into" guns - I think of them as nothing more than a tool for self defense or as a work of art - and many of us only have our carry gun... or maybe plus 1.

I think it's far more important to keep telling people to train.  To learn. To work at it.  Eventually you will become comfortable with one in the pipe.  It may take time, but you will get there.

****************************************************************************************************

If it's funded by taxpayer money, then it's a public place and we should be able to carry.  I understand courthouses, but the rest?  Not so much.

****************************************************************************************************

I don't own laser sights, but hopefully I will be buying another gun this year and I was contemplating if its worthwhile to buy laser sights for an EDC.

When I train with my Son's SIRT pistol, or at the range, I am basically just pushing the gun to the target and firing.  I don't really take the time to aim thru the gun sights.  I figure that most gun fights start quickly, are at very close range and are chaotic and adrenaline filled, and when you throw in shooting on the move, I just find it hard to believe anyone has either the time or the conscious inclination to watch where the laser is - instead falling back on point and shoot training.

The other thought I had... I don't know if I want a laser that turns on as soon as my hand hits the grip, especially if its for home use.  I might want to remain unseen and this might work against me in that situation.  On the other hand, I can see where that little green/red dot dancing lightly in the middle of a criminals shirt may be a deterrent to a very bad situation escalating to a shooting situation.

****************************************************************************************************

"Attempted illegal gun purchases occur 30,000 to 40,000 times each year among U.S. firearms retailers, according to a survey by the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California-Davis."

I wonder if they question why there aren't very many prosecutions?  I mean, really, if you have proof this is happening at this rate, why aren't there more prosecutions?  Like most gun studies done by anti gun programs masquerading as legit fact finding studies, it kinda' makes you question if the numbers are true.

****************************************************************************************************

I'm just tired of the word "free" being tossed around like candy to kids.  I'm sick of being told the "Government" will pay for things, when in fact its the Citizens who pay.  I'm tired of being told that I am somehow responsible for the cost of others Healthcare, Child Care, College Tuition, Living Expenses, Housing Expenses and such.

If you are a Democrat / Liberal / Progressive and you believe our Constitution is wrong, our Bill of Rights is wrong, and you believe Socialism is better than what we have, then have the stones to say so.  Don't hide behind emotion filled speeches and fear monger warnings.

If Socialism is such a great thing, something you are proud of, something you believe is the way to a bright new day, why do you lie to meet your end results?  Why don't you trust the supposed truth of your ideology?  Don't be a coward in your convictions.  Step right up to the plate and be somebody.  Say it out loud.  Own it.

But you don't, and your gutless aversion to being truthful to yourself is sad.

Hillary is your 'next big thing' for our Country.  She is an Alinsky disciple through and through.    She wholeheartedly believes in the adage - "The ends justifies the means."  She lies at the drop of a hat and knows those who side with her, who have no honor in their convictions, will smile, nod and wink.

I fear for this country.
****************************************************************************************************

Life vs Property as a reason to shoot.  This example was used in my CCL class by Mike Bius of Illinois Gun Pros...

Your Child falls into a shark tank filled with hungry sharks, would you jump in to save him? Of course you would.  Now consider that you dropped your very expensive $6000 Rolex watch into the same shark infested tank. Would you jump in to retrieve your watch?

****************************************************************************************************

I subscribe to Concealed Carry Magazine, like many do, and they had a terrific, three part series titled "Inside School Shootings - What We Have Learned" that dealt with school shooters and what we now know - including statistics that showed high capacity mags and semi auto rifles - so called assault weapons - have no bearing on the death toll of school shooters.  Their stats showed these madmen fired at a very slow rate and not what Anti's would have the public believe, and in many instances the rate of fire was that of a bolt action rifle and never above the rate of any handgun.  The article concerned itself with a clear, unbiased and concise look at the statistics and with the information gleaned from active shooter situations, dealt with the best ways to defend our children without the benefit of an armed response.

The evidence just keeps piling up in our favor, but it's like talking to a brick wall.  Sometimes I think it's more important to show the public the amount of tax payer money being thrown away on legal bills that are born from chasing moonbeams.

****************************************************************************************************
 
How can you argue for a magazine limit without any proof that any certain number of rounds is "the" number?  If you don't have proof, or a study making the case for "X" amount of rounds, then the alternative is that it is an arbitrary number.  As in "yeah, 10 rounds, that's the ticket!"  How the heck does that work?  How do you defend the magazine limit?  It just seems so stupid and cut and dried.

Or am I missing something?

****************************************************************************************************

Order a copy of my new book of humor  "I'm Married... Shoot Me!"  for just $7.70 -The harrowing tales of your average Husband.    Children, insanity and manly cowardice, all wrapped up in love - now available through Lulu.com