North Carolina residents may know that President Donald Trump has made fighting crime a priority. However, the crime rate has actually fallen drastically in the past quarter century. According to FBI data, the violent crime rate has fallen by roughly 50 percent from 1993 to 2015. The Bureau of Justice Statistics found that the rate has fallen by 77 percent during that same time period.
Whether an individual is a victim of crime may depend on where he or she lives. For instance, there are more than 600 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in Alaska and Nevada. However, there were fewer than 200 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in New Hampshire and Maine. This may be explained by population density as well as economic conditions in those areas. Regardless of the crime rate in a given area, many crimes are not reported to the police.
Common reasons cited include a lack of faith that the police could provide assistance or that the crime was a personal issue. It is interesting to note that perceptions about the crime rate generally don’t match up with the reality. In 21 Gallup polls taken since 1989, most Americans believed that the crime rate was higher than the previous year despite the trend of fewer crimes taking place.
Those who are facing felony charges may face a variety of potentially serious penalties. Penalties may include prison time, a fine and restitution. Community service and probation may also be included in addition to or in lieu of prison time. An attorney may be able to create defenses to the charge in an effort to obtain a plea deal or an acquittal. Defenses may include casting doubt on evidence presented in court or arguing a lack of intent to commit a crime.
