All the exaggerated hype about how illegal immigrants are all criminals, and are raising crime rates, is not supported with the facts (links here Cato and here WSJ, that liberal rag) Phoenix is safer now than it was been in the last 20 years, as long as you are not an illegal immigrant. If you're a legal resident, violent and property crimes are lower. If you're an illegal, you're likely to be a hostage, kidnapped, home invaded, sure... but still, living in the US's 5th largest city, my crime rate is pretty darn low.
A well armed citizenry, and urban sprawl (spread out the people more, and they don't fight / try to kill each other, as much as in large crowded dense-packed cities) have contributed as well. 16.6% lower violent crime... maybe I won't go out and buy a hip holster for my side arm.
9 years ago
It's been a long day, so maybe I'm just being dim, but I don't understand your post. Your point about crime for illegal residents seems to contradict your first point that illegal immigrants don't contribute to crime.
ReplyDeleteAre you being facetious about suggesting that gun prevalence is responsible for lower violent crime rates?
Are you also being facetious about suburban sprawl being responsible for lower voilent crime rates?? What's New York, NY's violent crime rate compared to Pheonix? Which one is more dense? What's Hong Kong's rate? London's?
I am being facetious about gun presence, yes.
ReplyDeleteIt is a fact here, in the nation's kidnapping capitol, that all you won't be home invaded, kidnapped, or drive-by shot, if you are not illegal, or working with the human smugglers who facilitate the illegal trafficking.
I have not compared Phoenix to NYC (where Guiliani boosted police presence) or Hong Kong (which is now part of draconian mainland China) or London (where hand guns are still illegal), but none of these places have AZ 1070 (show me your papers) or Joe Arpaio (our own fascist sheriff who is vastly popular amoung Republicans and self-proclaimed white libertarians), so it is apples and oranges, not to be painted with the same brush.
Phoenix has no real down town. There's an area, approx 5 blocks x 5 blocks, of business high rises. There's no giant "projects" of urban housing. There's no central park, or hyde park, or subway system. The closest comparison is LA (and it's sprawl), and the Phoenix crime rate is now much lower than LA's.