Crime Is Down? Is That Good News?

It is good news that the crime rate is down from 1973 and has been steadily falling for the last 20 years. But, there is no reason to open the champagne bottles yet! Criminologists want to celebrate this milestone as a victory and use the information to attack the government policy on the so called "tough-on-crime" agenda. In these 2010 crime stats is contained an alarming number, there were over 437,000 violent incidents reported and you can be assured that this figure would double if other violent crimes were reported. It has been determined that only one-third of crime is actually reported to police. Please do not suggest that we as a society have succeeded in conquering the crime rate and all is well.

I was very discouraged last year at a "Restorative Justice" Conference where a well known criminologist spoke about his answer to crime. He suggested if we adapted his model for crime prevention that we would all be singing around the camp fire, "Kumbaya." What was really revealed and delivered in his message was arrogance and accusotory political activism by the left wing of the political realm. He was blatantly rude and obnoxious towards our Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice. He was in fact a, "bully!" Too bad because a book he published has some valuable facts and recommendations, but he lost his creditability during his speech. Many clapped, I didn't!

I don't contend that locking up everyone is the answer, but please speak to the next victim of a violent crime and get their analysis. There is only one key answer to crime and it is not found in human wisdom. Read the book of Matthew in the Holy Bible and learn what Jesus has to say about Crime Prevention. Social science findings can be a valuable tool in our fight of crime, but the deep rooted problem lies in the human heart. Jesus is in the business of changing hearts.