>There is massive under-reporting of violent crime across many decades. How can we evaluate that?
If you don't know how to evaluate that how can you claim there's a massive under reporting of violent crime?
The last crime I was the victim of was having my car broken into around 2003. I didn't report it but I was angry. Something bad happened to me through no fault of my own and nothing I could have done reasonably would have prevented it.
There are emotions involved and I'm sure for a while I felt as though crime was everywhere and I would be the victim again.
There is enough reason to believe that police departments do not record crime appropriately. Goodhart's law applies everywhere. If you are tasked with lowering a particular crime in your area, the fastest way to do it is to under-report it. Here is a podcast where a former NYPD officer alleges as such: https://pca.st/jSka
Of course, it applies both ways. We should not trust the reports of violent crime going up in the late pandemic era. The politics of "Defund the Police" suggests that this was a deliberate tactic.
I've had my car broken into 6 times (reported 3), my car itself stolen once, 5 bikes stolen (reported 3).
> Something bad happened to me through no fault of my own and nothing I could have done reasonably would have prevented it.
It shouldn't happen period. Effectively, at least in the USA, we've given up on this kind of crime and just expect it. Most people take the POV it is their fault (they left something visible in the car). That's BS. You are not responsible for the thief's actions. The thief is. Period!
There are places in the world where this mostly doesn't happen at all. (Japan, Singapore). You should be able to leave stuff in your car and not have it be stolen.
We, as a society, have given up on even trying to enforce this in any way shape or form AFAICT. My belief is, most of this type of crime is by just a few people repeating the same crime. Honeypots would catch those and lower the numbers by 90-95% IMO.
Honeypots would only work if the criminals are sentenced to long prison terms which is costly.
I asked chatgpt about why low level crime is low in Japan and it gave three interesting reasons.
1. Collective culture - basically focusing the harmony of society over the self. Not doing things that would harm others.
2. Fear of shame by others if caught
3. Communities are against anti social behavior
Assume these are correct for low levels crimes. Does this sound like America? We are a country where the freedom to be an asshole has high value. Individualism and personal freedom are over community.
Think about loud cars, it provides personal pleasure at the expense of others.
I also think about how much HOAs are hated (though some support them obviously because they exist*).
There's also a movement against empathy, another reason you might not want to cause harm to others.
If you don't know how to evaluate that how can you claim there's a massive under reporting of violent crime?
The last crime I was the victim of was having my car broken into around 2003. I didn't report it but I was angry. Something bad happened to me through no fault of my own and nothing I could have done reasonably would have prevented it.
There are emotions involved and I'm sure for a while I felt as though crime was everywhere and I would be the victim again.