Violent Crimes
Violent crimes – things like murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault – are unfortunately still a big problem in our society today. Even with laws in place to punish criminals, these terrible acts still happen way too often. In this article, I want to take a closer look at violent crimes: what they are, what causes them, and what we can do to try and prevent them.
What Makes a Crime “Violent”
When we talk about “violent” crime, we’re generally referring to offenses like:
- Murder and manslaughter
- Rape and sexual assault
- Robbery
- Aggravated assault (assault with a deadly weapon)
- Kidnapping
What all these crimes have in common is that they involve physical force or the threat of force against another person. Things like theft and arson are also serious crimes, but they don’t necessarily involve violence against other people.
According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting program, over 1 million violent crimes occurred in the United States in 2020. That’s a rate of about 400 violent crimes for every 100,000 people[1]. So violent crime is definitely still a problem worth addressing.
Causes of Violent Crime
Why do people commit violent crimes in the first place? Well, there’s no one single cause – it’s usually a combination of factors. Some of the main contributors seem to be:
- Poverty and lack of opportunity – Areas with high poverty rates tend to have more violent crime[3]. When people don’t have access to jobs or education, they may turn to crime out of desperation.
- Substance abuse – Drugs and alcohol are often involved in incidents of violent crime. They can reduce inhibitions and impair judgment.
- Mental illness – Some violent acts are committed by people with untreated mental health conditions like schizophrenia.
- Childhood trauma – Experiencing abuse as a child can lead to violent behavior later in life.
- Learned behavior – Children who grow up around violence may come to see it as normal and acceptable.
It’s important to understand these root causes so we can try to address them through social programs, education, mental healthcare, etc. But at the end of the day, there’s no excuse for violently victimizing others.
Impact on Victims and Communities
The victims of violent crime suffer tremendously. The physical wounds may heal, but the emotional trauma can last a lifetime. Victims often experience anxiety, depression, PTSD and other issues[4]. Tragically, some victims lose their lives during the commission of these crimes.
Beyond individual victims, violent crime also harms communities. It can erode people’s sense of security and trust. Businesses may be reluctant to locate in areas with high crime rates. And the costs of medical treatment, lost productivity, property damage, etc. add up for society as a whole[5].
Laws and Punishments
To deter violent crime, most places have enacted tough criminal statutes with severe penalties. For example, murder typically carries a minimum prison sentence of 10 years or more. Even robbery in many states brings a mandatory 2-5 year sentence[2].
Some specific federal laws related to violent crime include[1]:
- The 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act – Provided funding for 100,000 new police officers and $9.7 billion in funding for prisons.
- The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) – Provided programs and funding to combat domestic violence and sexual assault.
- The Matthew Shepard Act – Extended federal hate crime laws to cover crimes motivated by a victim’s gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.
- The Trafficking Victims Protection Act – Provided tools to prosecute human traffickers and assist victims of trafficking.
In addition to imprisonment, some violent criminals may face additional penalties like fines, probation, or restitution payments to compensate victims. But even with tough sentencing, recidivism remains an issue – many criminals commit new violent offenses after being released from prison[6]. More work is needed to rehabilitate violent offenders and help them become productive members of society.
Prevention Strategies
In addition to punishment, we also need to focus on preventing violent crime before it happens. Some strategies that can help include:
- Community programs – Youth programs, job training, parenting classes, substance abuse treatment, etc. can address root causes of violence.
- Education – Teaching conflict resolution skills and nonviolent ways to solve problems.
- Awareness – Public health campaigns to reduce domestic violence, change social norms, etc.
- Environmental design – Better lighting, surveillance cameras, defensible space architecture.
- Law enforcement – More officers and better community-police relations to reduce crime opportunities.
It’s going to take effort from all parts of society – government, community groups, businesses, faith institutions, families, and individuals – to come together and adopt evidence-based violence reduction strategies. But it’s important work that can improve public safety and quality of life for everyone.
What You Can Do
As an individual, there are a few things you can do to help reduce violent crime:
- Get involved in community watch groups and youth mentoring programs.
- Volunteer at shelters, victim support services, job training programs, etc.
- Report any suspected domestic violence, gang activity, or other warning signs.
- Practice nonviolent conflict resolution in your own relationships and teach kids these skills.
- Don’t abuse drugs or alcohol – seek treatment if needed.
Small actions by many people can start making a difference. We all have to look out for each other and build safe communities where acts of violence are not tolerated. It may seem like an impossible challenge, but coming together to reject violence is the only way forward.
Violent crimes cause so much harm, but they are preventable. With compassion, cooperation and determination, we can work to stop the violence and take care of those who have been victimized. There are no easy solutions, but we have to keep striving to find answers. Everyone deserves to feel safe from these terrible crimes.