FBI Uniform Crime Report Reveals Extent of Gun Violence Epidemic

[MechAg94]

https://bearingarms.com/cam-e/2019/09/30/fbi-says-murder-violent-crime-both-declined-in-2018/
FBI Says Murder And Violent Crime Both Declined In 2018

I guess there really isn't an epidemic.  It was a click bait thread title.  Good information to pass along to everyone you know.

The violent crime rate in 2018 was the lowest this country has seen since 1971, when there were 396 violent crimes per 100,000 people. And unlike the 1970’s, when violent crime was on its way up, the trend since the early 1990’s has been towards a safer society. The nation’s violent crime rate in 2018 is less than half of what it was at its peak in 1991, which is fantastic news that will largely be ignored by our fear-mongering media.

While violent crime declined by nearly 4 percent, murders declined at an even greater rate, dropping 6.2 percent from 2017. At 5.0 homicides per 100,000 people, the U.S. homicide rate is near the 50-year low of 4.4 per 100k set back in 2014, and 2018 market a second straight year of declining homicide rates.

https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-releases-2018-crime-statistics

[Kingcreek]

Gun violence deniers.

[Pb]

That's good news. 

I was worried that murder would start rising again.

[T.O.M.]

To be serious a moment, the issue of the perception of crime came up at a recent conference I attended.  Part of the perception has to do with news coverage.  30-40 years ago, someone in Ohio would not likely hear about a shooting in a bar in California unless the story was big enough to make it on the network news, or the morning paper.  Now, the Internet brings each of these stories to our smart phone moments after the story breaks.  The psychologist at the conference said this causes the perception that crime is increasing,  and there is no where safe.  This has several impacts on society. It causes people to feel generally unsafe in their communities. Some people feel depressed about this, hence increased reported depression among the population.   Some people feel the need to go armed, hence increased popularity of CCW permits.  Some people overreact, hence claims that the streets run red with innocent blood, so we must pass new laws.  It all flows together...

[Pb]

I was sure police would be backing down, and that would be increasing murder rates.

Hopefully this will not happen.

[MechAg94]

To be serious a moment, the issue of the perception of crime came up at a recent conference I attended.  Part of the perception has to do with news coverage.  30-40 years ago, someone in Ohio would not likely hear about a shooting in a bar in California unless the story was big enough to make it on the network news, or the morning paper.  Now, the Internet brings each of these stories to our smart phone moments after the story breaks.  The psychologist at the conference said this causes the perception that crime is increasing,  and there is no where safe.  This has several impacts on society. It causes people to feel generally unsafe in their communities. Some people feel depressed about this, hence increased reported depression among the population.   Some people feel the need to go armed, hence increased popularity of CCW permits.  Some people overreact, hence claims that the streets run red with innocent blood, so we must pass new laws.  It all flows together...

Not just the internet, but the 24 hour news channels with a bunch of bored reporters looking for the next big event they grand stand about. 

Another odd thing is I heard a few people accuse CNN of hoping or trying to encourage violence at a Joker movie showing since they can't stop bringing it up.  Big News often has no issue shouting the name of the shooters from the rooftops and making them famous.  I don't know if that is political or them just being excited about a big story no matter how gruesome. 

[Pb]

Not just the internet, but the 24 hour news channels with a bunch of bored reporters looking for the next big event they grand stand about. 

Another odd thing is I heard a few people accuse CNN of hoping or trying to encourage violence at a Joker movie showing since they can't stop bringing it up.  Big News often has no issue shouting the name of the shooters from the rooftops and making them famous.  I don't know if that is political or them just being excited about a big story no matter how gruesome. 

I think one of the few effective things we could do to stop mass killings is to get the media to shut up about them.

But that would require a sense of responsibility on their part.

[makattak]

Related:

https://www.apmresearchlab.org/gun-related-deaths

Americans believe that most gun deaths come from Murders (other than mass shootings) and Mass Shootings.

They are probably correct, if you only took account of media coverage, but are wildly incorrect in the real world.

[Perd Hapley]

The super-fun part is, Big Media will only report on the relatively low crime rates in the context of "the Gun Lobby doesn't want you to know how low crime rates are. Big Guns wants you to be scared."