Two articles on crime rates.

[Perd Hapley]

This article, from last June, celebrates historically low crime rates. Aggravated assault, for example, is down 4%. Murder is at its lowest ebb since the 1950s.
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/06/11/12170947-fbi-violent-crime-rates-in-the-us-drop-approach-historic-lows?lite

This article, from today, notes that violent crimes rose 18% in 2011, with a 22% increase in assault cases.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2012/1018/Spike-in-assaults-leads-US-violent-crime-rate-to-first-increase-since-93

You'd think the first increase in crime rates in almost 20 years would be a juicy news story. Sure, crime rates are still lower than back then, but it's a story that would sell. I wonder why the party organs are so quiet about this. Hmmmm...

[bedlamite]

When data goes from a steady decline over that long a period to that big an increase, my first question is did they change how did they record and/or report the data?

[Perd Hapley]

When data goes from a steady decline over that long a period to that big an increase, my first question is did they change how did they record and/or report the data?

That was my second question. My first question was, is it because of the economy?

[brimic]

More socialism=more unreported crime.

[Marnoot]

I have significantly less faith in the accuracy of crime statistics after having spent most of the last 7 years working on IBR/UCR reporting software and working with many client police agencies. The percentage of agencies that massage/cook/tweak the stats before they report them is high.

[slingshot]

Does the crime rate influence the amount of money given to the state or city government by the Federal government?  Sounds like school lunches which is somewhat of a rigged deal as I understand it.

[MicroBalrog]

When data goes from a steady decline over that long a period to that big an increase, my first question is did they change how did they record and/or report the data?

Look carefully, these are two different surveys.