Causes of Crime Drop

“Crimes of Violence Hit 24-Year Low” (Dec. 28) associates the drop in crime with more police apprehending more criminals and gun control. The article failed to mention the role an expanding economy and low unemployment have played in reducing the crime rate over the last five years.

Law enforcement is necessary to treat the problem of crime. Improving the effectiveness of law enforcement will influence the crime rate to some extent. But, to meaningfully reduce crime, one must consider the causes, and unemployment is certainly a major one. A prospering economy has a more powerful influence on the crime rate than increasing law enforcement.

We could do more to reduce crime by devoting public resources to improving the lot of the poor through better education, recreation and housing than by spending more on police and prisons.

JOSEPH KAUFMAN

Mission Viejo

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When the Million Man March took place in 1995, the honorable Louis Farrakhan predicted the march would help reduce the crime rates to lower levels and that this march would not be mentioned when the credit is given.

Crime is dropping all over the nation, and the three-strike law is a California state law. Clearly the Million Man March, which emphasized personal responsibility, created a climate that crime isn’t cool and addressed black men as no other forum could, and its creators should be given some credit. As a black man who didn’t attend the rally but supported its idea, I have seen the attitude change of black men, both young and old, that was very supportive of its anti-crime message.

JAMES OLIVER CLEMENT

Long Beach

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News organizations’ “if it bleeds, it leads” tendencies are not the only cause of our sometimes irrational fear of crime. Security companies, “tough on crime” politicians and others with vested interests in our fear have been doing their part to keep us terrified. After all, crime--or at least the fear of it--pays very well.

RUSS BUCHANAN

Woodland Hills