Crime drops around the world as COVID-19 keeps people inside

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By STEFANIE DAZIO, FRANKLIN BRICENO and MICHAEL TARM

CHICAGO (AP) — The coronavirus pandemic that has crippled big-box retailers and mom and pop shops worldwide may be making a dent in illicit business, too.

In Chicago, one of America’s most violent cities, drug arrests have plummeted 42% in the weeks since the city shut down, compared with the same period last year. Part of that decrease, some criminal lawyers say, is that drug dealers have no choice but to wait out the economic slump.

“The feedback I’m getting is that they aren’t able to move, to sell anything anywhere,” said Joseph Lopez, a criminal lawyer in Chicago who represents reputed drug dealers.

Overall, Chicago’s crime declined 10% after the pandemic struck, a trend playing out globally as cities report stunning crime drops in the weeks since measures were put into place to slow the spread of the virus. Even among regions that have the highest levels of violence outside a war zone, fewer people are being killed and fewer robberies are taking place.



In this April 9, 2020, photo, amid concerns of the spread of COVID-19, Dallas ISD police officers Mylon Taylor, left, and Gary Pierre push a car that ran out of gas while waiting in line for the weekly school meal pick up for students in Dallas. The coronavirus pandemic that has crippled big-box retailers and mom and pop shops worldwide may be making a dent in illicit business, too. (AP Photo/LM Otero)


Read more: https://apnews.com/bbb7adc88d3fa067c5c1b5c72a1a8aa6

[samnsara]

1. i mentioned this to hubby last week...no mass shootings!

...is so quiet!

[forgotmylogin]

11. There aren't any masses! (n/t)

[padah513]

2. Crime drops, pollution drops

Kind of reminds me of that show Life After People

[3Hotdogs]

3. I noted this about 2 weeks ago. Regional paper, Newark (NJ) Star-Ledger

reported only a couple of killings in the past month. In past, several per week.

[Marthe48]

19. trump is making up for it

[Sherman A1]

4. It certainly seems to be down

I have received several Ring alerts of kids trying to get into unlocked cars to see what they could find. I noted on one video that the young lad was at least wearing gloves as he rummaged through the vehicle.

[MissMillie]

5. My guess is that the numbers don't include

the crimes perpetrated by 45s administration on a daily basis.

[irisblue]

6. Domestic violence goes up.

[bucolic_frolic]

8. No kidding

All the holy rollers cooped up at home, no access to their mistresses, girlfriends, gentlemens & cat clubs ... they must be going crazy

But who's counting? These are not headline grabbing statistics

[Midnight Writer]

16. Talked to a cop. He said property crimes down, domestic calls are up. (In my area)

[Zoonart]

7. The only place they are seeing a spike in crime...

is in the Whitehouse.

[OnlinePoker]

9. Here in Victoria, BC, property crime is up

Retailers downtown that are shut down are being broken into a lot as are vehicles. We have a large homeless population, especially in the core and I guess the lack of pedestrians is giving them more access than they normally would.

[IronLionZion]

13. Same here in Washington, DC

People are getting desperate and more aggressive and sometimes violent. As liberals we feel empathy for the homeless and less fortunate, but it just isn't safe to walk in some neighborhoods here anymore. For the first time in my life I had to call the police on a particularly aggressive individual recently.

[EllieBC]

21. Same in Vancouver

Also there’s been an uptick in domestic violence.

[palandrome]

10. Fancy that.

it is almost like human behaviour, and not the presence, quantity or type of some inanimate object, say, drugs or weapons, has a large influence on the crime rate.

[ismnotwasm]

14. Well the people WITH the, let's say guns

Aren’t getting out as much.

[live love laugh]

17. 👆🏽This nt

[IronLionZion]

12. not so fast, depends on the crime

Some crimes are up in my neighborhood like muggings and breakins as people get desperate.

[greenjar_01]

15. Wait

We have 120 years of social science statistics that will tell you what happens when we're at 15-20% unemployment.

[tavernier]

18. No school shootings.

That part feels good.

[Marthe48]

20. Yes, for sure

Maybe we'll be spared the mass killings of spring

[Totally Tunsie]

22. And yet we're all dressing for crime, wearing our masks!

What a perfect opportunity.

Witness: "LOL - Sorry Officer. I'd like to help, but he was wearing a mask."