A disturbing new report released by the FBI shows homicides in the U.S. have extraordinarily risen by leaps and bounds. In 2020, homicides were up by a full 30% from the previous year, and 2021, thus far, is trying its hardest to beat that record.
Last year the FBI reported 21,570 cases of non-negligent manslaughters and homicides. This figure represents an additional 4,901 deaths over the 2019 count. While the figure continues to rise in 2021, it still hasn’t topped what was reported in the 1990s when drug wars were being fought in the streets. The figure back then hung at around 23,000 per year, but as anyone can see, we’re catching up quickly.
Violent crimes last year only increased by a modest 5.6%, while other certain other crimes saw a decrease. Property crimes have been decreasing over the past two decades and fell by another 7.8% in 2020. Robberies fell by 9.3% and rapes were down 12% from 2019.
A criminologist at Boston’s Northeastern University, James Alan Fox, said he doesn’t expect the trend to continue long-term, calling 2020 a “unique situation.” Fox believes people in general just have too much time on their hands as a result of the pandemic.
Other factors include widespread political turmoil, massive racial inequality protests, and the entire nation being confined to their homes. 2020 was a volatile year packed full of one disruption after another. Some of what was experienced has since been tamed, but not nearly enough to keep the numbers from continuing to rise. Tensions and tempers continue to flair as Joe Biden botches nearly everything he touches.
Concerning the upward tick, Fox said, “I don’t want to minimize what’s happened. I just don’t want people to believe the sky is falling and that this is permanent.” He made note of how the current numbers are still lower than three decades ago when the war against crack cocaine was raging, so at least there’s that if it helps anyone feel better.
The rise in homicide numbers has been taken advantage of by politicians who claim they can put an end to the travesty. This is especially true in larger cities where the violent aftermath of George Floyd’s death paralyzed downtown areas. But they’re blowing hot air. The problems exist way beyond a local level and they haven’t the authority or the know-how to fix any of them.
Until the Biden Administration buckles down and at least attempts fulfilling their boss’s campaign promises, the status quo will remain. Sure infrastructure is a big deal to Biden and no one can say that improvements in this area are not long overdue, but his one-track mind isn’t helping those in need. It’s only stretching the country to its final breaking point.
The U.S./Mexico border is in shambles due to Kamala Harris lying about the situation being her top priority. We’ve all seen how that’s played out. Healthcare’s been sitting on the “back burner.” All of the free stuff Biden promised still costs an arm and a leg, and let’s not even discuss Afghanistan or the deflated morale of America’s military.
People are rightfully pissed and as long they’re continually given reasons to stay this way, bad things are going to keep happening. Lord help us when the economy tanks and we start fighting over food scraps. Please note how the word “when” was used in place of “if.”
So 2020 didn’t work out so well. Donald Trump did the very best he could with what was handed to him and no one can truthfully deny how he did a damn fine job. Slow and steady progress was being made, and though homicides rose, the figures could have and would have, been much higher under the dreadful circumstances he and the nation were burdened with.
But all of Trumps’ achievements have gone to hell in a handbasket as the nation is being led through one of the darkest periods in its history by a dementia-inflicted old man without a lick of sense.
This makes it difficult to agree with Fox’s assumption that homicide rates will improve. The number of refugees being allowed to pour into the U.S. is enough in itself to make sure that doesn’t happen. Couple this with everything else going on around us and you have a recipe for more disaster.
Be safe out there. If you can, that is.
