The Crime Drop in America

Top criminologists explain the reasons for the drop in violent crime in America.

Violent crime in America shot up sharply in the mid-1980s and continued to climb until 1991, after which something unprecedented occurred. For the next seven years it declined to a level not seen since the 1960s. The puzzle of why this has happened has bedevilled criminologists, politicians, policy makers and citizens. Numerous explanations have been put forth, from improvements in policing to the decline in crack cocaine use. The authors of this timely book explain and assess the plausible causes and competing claims of credit for the crime drop. Here some of America''s top criminologists examine the role of guns, the growing prison population, homicide patterns, drug markets, economic opportunity, changes in policing, and demographics. They presents the most authoritative, intelligent discussion available on the rise and fall of American violence. The perspectives offered here will undoubtedly influence the public debate and the planning of future responses to crime.