Murder rate down in Springs in 2009
DENVER • Murders in Colorado Springs fell from 23 in 2008 to 19 in 2009, following an encouraging state and national trend of decreasing violence in major cities.
Denver’s murder tally for 2009, 38, was the lowest since 2000 and the second-lowest since 1964, The city had 47 murders in 2008.
“America is a much safer country,” said Dr. Jeff London, assistant professor of criminal justice at Metropolitan State College of Denver.
An aging population, better crime tools and lengthier prison terms contribute to a quarter-century-long trend of decreasing violence, experts say. But one criminologist warns that that could change with the economy.
“Recession will erode the trend of dropping murder rates,” predicted Dr. Eric Hickey, dean of the California School of Forensic Studies at Alliant International University in Fresno. “You can only live with the strain of dealing with the recession so long before people start turning to crime.”
