I rather enjoy the first video. On the level comparison of areas and fair stats. One of the things that he doesn't really get into though is why these stats have been cut in half since 92. His conclusion is that the media and politicians just don't want to report on this because it doesn't fit an agenda. It's more because investigative journalism started dying around the same time the web and tracking software started growing. How many of you still have a newspaper subscription? They can't afford the talent they used to. Meanwhile the stats are dropping largely because of improved tracking and reporting software such as
CompStat used by the NYPD.
Good tracking and information is what has been able to really narrow down to individual neighborhoods exactly has he shows in his video. The PD there gets more funding, and gets to keep it provided they can keep crime rates lower year after year.
The problem with the software and awards/funding system built around it is that it has hit a point of diminishing returns. Things got so much better because of this awesome tool and every PD was able to proudly announce stats lower than the year before. After awhile though, better use of resources isn't as effective because all the easy stuff is done, and the improvement is now the norm. So you've got a handful of departments out there that are pressured and incentivized to continue lowering crime rates, particularly of the violent crime rate variety, but can't do it without some further breakthroughs and methods.
These departments have been cheating the system a little. In order to continue showing a reduction in violent crimes, the charges for violent crimes are often reduced to minor crimes. So what we're starting to see are rape charges reduced to assault so they can fall outside the big statistics of concern. This has created at least one case of a serial rapists flying completely under the radar for several offenses before even one legitimate rape report was filed. Anyway, his suggestion of rolling up their sleeves and getting into the problem areas is
exactly what has been getting done since 92, and is why the rates have improved so much overall. What we're facing now is an overcompensation problem, and it's one that won't get widely reported because it's going to take honest to god investigative journalism skills to find out how deep the problem goes.
Maybe if Fox and MSNBC weren't so busy pushing bullshit agendas, and CNN spent money on good journalists instead of 3D graphics and video editors to cut together 'Best of YouTube' montages we'd be getting somewhere. Good information requires good talent and that's just far too expensive these days. Way easier to hire some mouthpiece drawing on a blackboard who will work cheap because they're just using the time to advertise their latest book they're sure to make millions on. The educated have gradually morphed into the entertainers over the last decade, and a lot of people still haven't noticed. It's all businesses fighting for ratings to sell advertisements, and that leaves good information in the dust because it doesn't grab as many viewers. The best information we seem to have these days is oh so ironically government funded public radio, because they're not worried about money and just do their jobs.
