Yes, says David Downes, professor of criminology at the London School of Economics. No, says Heather Mac Donald, writing a few weeks back in The Wall Street Journal. Downes also suggests that the breakdown of social cohesion – eroding working class institutions, rising inequality – encourages criminality. The conservative counterpoint – again from Mac Donald – also emphasizes cohesion as a buffer against crime, but locates the traditional two-parent family as the fulcrum for social stability.
Do recessions encourage crime?
Will writes from Washington, D.C. (well, Arlington, Virginia). You can reach him at willblogcorrespondence at gmail dot com.
Will Truman 
Teacher 
Burt Likko 
Mary 
James K 
Jaybird 
Tod Kelly 
Borat: “I do a picture, only small, of the Tishnik Masacre. Where many Uzbeks…crushed!”
Kindly Gray Hippie: “How did you feel when you drew this?”
Borat: “Very proud!”.
KGH: “I am just listening with sadness…sadness for your people…?”
Borat: “Yes…no, it is not sad. It is us who do the kill!”
When in doubt,
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So the question is: Which correlation implies causation?
Personally, I blame Sting, since the data clearly shows that the highest crime periods in the US came during the peak of his career. Also, he broke up The Police, which obviously would promote lawlessness.
Rage Against The Machine broke up, next thing you know, Bush is in the White House.
Thanks, Zack.
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