Morlaf

wow! i think that just as I am in no way qualified to say whether or not crime rates have increased, there are very few who ARE truly qualified to comment one way or another... with hard data and publications etc.... thanks guys. will keep thinking/reading.....

don't worry about the maths not adding up. I understand where you are coming from. "Modern" forms of crime like what you mentioned and cyber-crime, car crime etc will always skew the figures. It is difficult territory. Also population density will affect the figures. so if the population of a city doubles you can assume crime will (more-than-)double. I wonder if there is a way to filter out those factors and just focus on good 'ld fashioned age-defying crimes like: Stealing, stabbings, rape, burglary, murder etc....

lets pic a big city in the western world, then..... How's London?

My mum and I have this FAT theory that crime rates have risen in the past 100 years or so. Most ppl I speak to say things like: "There are better reporting tools nowadays, hence the impression that this is the case. However it is not." I do not think this is true. Now I know "crime rates" itself is a broad concept that needs huge amounts of refining before the conversation can even begin but lets be vague for now. If you think crime rates have NOT increased in last 100 - 200 years can you please tell me how you get to that conclusion and what you base it on please?