Yes, even in Baltimore, where both violent crime and property crime are less than half what they were 25 years ago. Crime won't usually hit an all-time-low every single year, but it was much higher in the past than the present.

Yes. Violent crime is down. Even in Baltimore[0].

[0] https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/take...

Perhaps you need to change your news sources, because you have a very warped idea of how violent inner cities are. It's not the 1970's.

>Why not support lowering crime rates even more? Comparing the crime rates in Baltimore to other western countries, there's still plenty of room for improvement.

Where, exactly, did I say we shouldn't "support lowering crime rates?"

Let me educate you on causative factors. Many homicides are the byproduct of the war on drugs. Drug use itself is a victimless crime.

During prohibition the national murder rate was incredibly high. When alcohol was legalized suddenly the murder rate plummeted.

You see, when you take a popular substance and make sale/distribution illegal, you create an opportunity for those willing to take the risk to get rich making and selling said substance.

But the problem with getting rich that way is now you have a bullseye on your back. your place of business is loaded with cash and valuable substances. It’s hard to put cash in banks without risking arrest, and you can’t call the police if someone threatens or steals from you. But you can easily afford your own guns, and your own security.

And when someone tries to kill you or steal from you or rat you out, you just kill them. After all, the prison sentences for trafficking are just as bad as the ones for murder, so you won’t be making things worse for yourself.

And the good news is you have plenty of money to pay others to do lots of crimes to protect your business and markets. Enough to buy your own corrupt cops even. Not only will they top you off, but they’ll be happy to no knock raid your competitors.

All of this is equally true for pimps (why hire willing sex workers when unwilling are cheaper? After all you going to jail either way, make no money while the sin shines), and bookies, and gambling operations, etc, etc, etc.

How do you know it does? The pro-surveillence side needs to put forth positive evidence. The precautionary principle is the only just, non-authoritarian option for situations like this. I know the targets are mostly in neighborhoods that you probably don't frequent, but those people have the same rights you do, and that includes the right to reasonable privacy.