When you look at our modern-day society, there are lots of things that we can be proud of and that show just how much we have come on over the past couple of centuries. For instance, our society’s sanitation and hygiene have greatly improved which has resulted in the eradication of some very dangerous and life-threatening diseases and illnesses. Plus, our new medical and health technology has also helped to make some diseases, such as polio and smallpox, completely obsolete. We can also enjoy improved communications these days thanks to the Internet and other technological advances.
One other area of society that has seen some major changes over the past couple of centuries is crime. Things have come a long way since people were resorting to stealing food because of poverty. Punishments have also drastically changed since capital punishment was outlawed. But just how much has crime changed in society? We’ve done some research into the facts and figures and have found out exactly how our modern society is affected by crime. Read on to find out about the face of crime in 2017!
Crime Rates Continue To Fall
Data shows that crime has continued to fall since the early 1990s, especially violent crime. There are two ways that this has been shown in the USA. Each year, the FBI publishes a report of all the serious crimes that are reported to the authorities. Year on year, the number of crimes in this report continues to fall. Another way that we know crime is falling is by the results of a survey taken by 90,000 US households. This survey is conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and asks individuals whether or not they have been a victim of crime over the period year. The results of this show that fewer people now experience crime in their everyday lives.
There Are New Tech-Based Crimes
The improvement and development of technology have, on the whole, been a good thing for our society and culture. However, it has also brought along some negatives. And one of those is the invention of new tech-based, cyber crimes. One of the most obvious examples of these is computer viruses. There are now lots of malware that has the potential to completely ruin whole computer networks and can spread viruses that can damage files and data. One of the most recent examples of this was the ransomware that was used to bring down many international computer networks, including the UK’s NHS systems. That led to the cancellation of many doctor’s appointments and operations. There are plenty of measures individuals and companies can take to protect their computers and systems from these threats, but many hackers and viruses are becoming a lot more sophisticated, making it harder and harder to defeat them.
Crime Has Gone Global
As the dawn of technology has now connected the world much more closely than ever before, this also means that crime has now gone global. Technology has now created ways for criminals to operate on a global scale, and there are also now ways for crime to quickly spread from country to country. People are now able to lead criminal operations in one country while residing in a completely different one. But it’s not just because of online technology. Now that there are thousands of airlines, people now find it easier to smuggle illegal goods from country to country. Plus, terrorism is a new crime that has sprung up over the past few decades, and this threat threatens our airports and travel as well.
People Can Rely On More Than Just The Police
Once, when people needed to report a crime or find justice, they could only turn to the police. However, that has all changed as the use of private detectives and surveillance firms has increased in popularity. There are many reasons why an individual might be interested in following or tracking someone else, and most of these reasons appear on sites like https://www.investigators.net.au/private-investigation-services/surveillance/. For instance, a family might want to find a missing teenager or an individual might wish to track their spouse who they believe is cheating on them. These days, more and more of these firms are being used to help with criminal activity. As they now can get licensing from the government, they are seen as being just as trustworthy as the police and other authoritarian organizations.
Migration Is Still Linked To Crime
As previously mentioned, countries are now extremely well connected, which makes it easier than ever for people to migrate. Organizations such as the European Union that promote open borders between its members also promote the free passage of people. While this migration is good news for businesses and companies, as it increases the pool of workers from which they can hire, it has proven to have some negative consequences when it comes to crime rates. As more people are moving from country to country, that also means that many criminals now benefit from free passage between countries. And, due to some regulations and restrictions within the EU, it is difficult for a country to extradite an individual for criminal reasons, so many countries are stuck with criminals once they move. Not only that, though, but illegal immigration is also on the rise. And that makes it difficult to track individuals once they enter a country illegally, especially if they are involved in criminal activities.
Public Perception Of Crime Doesn’t Line Up With The Data
There are many annual surveys carried out by various organizations and institutions to try and gauge the current public perception of crime. Each of these takes a sample of the general public and asks them a number of questions relating to their views and opinions about crime. Generally speaking, most of these surveys show that the public believes that crime rates are on the up. However, this doesn’t match up with national data which actually shows that crime rates are gradually decreasing year upon year. No one is really sure why there is such a difference between the national opinion on crime and the facts and figures.
Elderly Abuse Is On The Rise
Pensioners are now the largest growing demographic in the whole world. As the population starts to age, there are now record numbers of elderly people. As a result, there are now more care homes, such as http://www.benetas.com.au, than ever before, and many elderly people live in a care home away from their relatives. Unfortunately, crimes against this aging demographic are now thought to be on the rise. Crimes against the elderly are varied. There are numerous reports of some care home staff abusing their patients, and there have recently been many high profile cases of these kinds of crimes. But there are also crimes aimed directly at elderly individuals who still live at home. For instance, financial crimes against the elderly have rocketed over the past few years. Many fraudsters and con artists see old people as an easy target, and there are now many scams that aim to take substantial sums of money from old age pensioners.
Youth Vote Numbers Haven’t Particularly Changed
There is a widespread view, often held by people from various countries, that there is a current problem with youth crime. Many people believe that the young are now guilty of antisocial behavior at rates that are much higher than any previous decade. But is that really the case? Newspapers regularly report crimes that have been committed by youngsters and gangs at an alarmingly high rate, and it seems like the public are basing their views on the press and media’s negative portrayal of young people. But the figures and data just don’t back this up. In actual fact, youth crime is at its lowest for decades. Especially when you look back at decades when poverty was much more prevalent, and youngster regularly stole to be able to eat and survive.
The Majority Of Crimes Still Aren’t Reported To The Police
Many crime experts believe that there is still a reluctance within the general public to report crimes. This is because they fear retaliation or don’t believe that the police or the authorities will be able to bring the criminal to justice. Sometimes, a crime is reported because the victim does not even realize that they have been involved in a crime. It is believed that only half of all criminal activity is reported to the police. Usually, very serious crimes are reported while not so serious ones are left unreported.
As you can see, crime has changed significantly over just a few decades. The way it is treated and handled now is a world apart from how it was taken care of over a century ago. Thankfully, we now live in a much safer society, even if it may not feel like that all the time!
Where do you think crime will go over the next couple of decades? Only time will tell!