This document discusses perceived crime rates versus actual crime rates in the United States. While Americans still perceive that crime is rising nationwide, actual violent and property crime rates have been decreasing since the early 1990s. There is also a discrepancy between perceived crime rates rising and Americans being less concerned about crime in their local areas. Possible explanations for these differences are discussed, such as the impact of organized crime decreasing in the 1980s-90s and media influences on public perceptions of crime.

1. Creative Research Practice Assignment 2
Perceived vs. Actual Crime Rates
WEE, Jieun BAE, Byoungyoon LEE, Jueun KOH, Kyle

2. Data Selection Why Crime Data ?
 Perceived Crime (more or less crime than the previous year?)
- Americans still perceive crime
as on the rise
2/3 say crime increasing in U.S.
as of 2010.
* Source: Gallup. http://www.gallup.com/poll/144827/americans-perceive-
crime-rise.aspx

3. Data Selection Why Crime Data ? (cont’d)
 Perceived Crime (those who described crime as extremely/very
serious)
- Americans still perceive crime
as on the rise
Americans are much less
concerned about the crime
problem in their local area, as
13% say the crime problem is
extremely or very serious
where they live.
* Source: Gallup. http://www.gallup.com/poll/144827/americans-perceive-
crime-rise.aspx

4. Data Selection Why Crime Data ? (cont’d)
 Actual Violent Crime (per 100,000 population)
- Decreasing since the early 90s.
Constant increase until the early
90s, and ever since, constant
decrease in total violent crime
rate per 100,000 population.
* Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

5. Data Selection Why Crime Data ? (cont’d)
 Actual Property Crime (per 100,000 population)
- Decreasing since the early 90s.
Constant increase until the 1980,
and constant decrease in total
property crime rate per 100,000
population since the early 90s.
Sudden decrease in the mid 80s.
* Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

6. Questioning Why the Discrepancy ?
 A Possible Explanation for the Decrease in Actual Crime Rate
During the 1980s and 1990s, RICO laws were used to convict numerous
- Many other somewhat
high-level mobsters. By the start of the 21st century, the American Mafia
“seemingly” reasonable
was a shadow of its former self. (RICO: Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations)
explanations
 A Possible Explanation for the Increase in Perceived Crime Rate
Americans' perceptions of crime may also be influenced by their general
Ex)“CSI Effect”
assessments of how things are going in the country. Americans generally
Heavy TV-crime viewers
believe the crime situation to be better when their satisfaction with national
estimated two and a half times
conditions is high, as in the late 1990s, when the economy was strong, and
more real-world deaths due to
in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks, when patriotism and support for
murder than non-viewers.
political leaders surged.
People’s perceptions also were
distorted in regards to a
number of other serious
crimes. Heavy TV-crime
viewers consistently
overestimated the frequency of
crime in the real world. * Source: Galluo. http://www.gallup.com/poll/1669/General-
Mood-Country.aspx

7. Questioning Why less concerned about the crime problem in their local area
?
 Demo
- To get some insights for this
question, looking into the crime
data of the States over time
seems necessary.

8. Thank You