FBI: Violent crime up in Colorado Springs (Denver, Pueblo: low income, crime rate)

[orngkat]

The annual FBI crime statistics show that violent crime here has gone up 15% in one year. Why do you think that is?

[DrDog]

Marijuana?
Influx of low income population?
Aberration in data?
All of the above?

I realize most of those reasons will be disagreeable to many.

[BornintheSprings]

Originally Posted by DrDog

Marijuana?

Alcohol? I'd bet money many violent crimes have a connection to this substance.

[otowi]

Is this data from 2017 or an earlier year? There seems to me to be an uptick in gang-related activity this past year. But I'd also want to see more information - could just be an aberration perhaps.

Nationally, there are reports of crime rate increases that are potentially associated with the political climate - more hate crimes, etc., - but not sure that is particularly relevant here.

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by BornintheSprings

Alcohol? I'd bet money many violent crimes have a connection to this substance.

Did alcohol change this last year, from what it's been for the last 7500 years?

[Mike from back east]

Never rule out the possibility that improved or changed reporting practices caused the increase.

[DrDog]

Originally Posted by BornintheSprings

Alcohol? I'd bet money many violent crimes have a connection to this substance.

See, I knew I’d hear from a weed defender.

I realize I see a different population than most, but ask someone that works fire, police, EMS, ER, trauma whether marijuana helps or hurts a community. It clearly brings in a low income, poorly motivated, crime ridden population.

[BornintheSprings]

Originally Posted by DrDog

See, I knew I’d hear from a weed defender.

I realize I see a different population than most, but ask someone that works fire, police, EMS, ER, trauma whether marijuana helps or hurts a community. It clearly brings in a low income, poorly motivated, crime ridden population.

[otowi]

I was listening to Freakonomics radio the other day and Leavitt was asked what would be the number one way to reduce violent crime in cities and he said unequivocally that legalization of all drugs would do that very substantially and quickly, however there are plenty of other reasons why one might not want to go that route (which he did not go into in detail).

[TCHP]

No doubt it is due to a wide range and variety of factors, but yes, the past year was not necessarily a good one. Whether it was a blip or a trend will remain to be seen. Generally speaking violent crime in Colo Spgs has been on the decline from a high point in the 1990s. No doubt weed and gangs are all a part of this, but the extent is not published yet.

FWIW, during Prohibition, the Front Range was home to some of the bloodiest gang warfare outside of Chicago as the Roma, Carlino, and Smaldone families regular squashed opposition for control of Colorado's bootlegging business. Dead bodies, blown up houses and cars were not uncommon throughout Denver and Pueblo. While Cos was not as heavily involved, there was still plenty of bootlegging going on here in the Roswell, Papeton and Pikeview areas that supported the bigger families.