Thread: muggings

Back in the 70s you constantly heard about muggings, especially in big cities. Has that particular crime decreased because everyone uses plastic? I guess they could still take your watch or wedding ring, perhaps a cell phone, but it doesn't seem like people walk around with more than 20-50 bucks in their wallet any more.

It would be interesting to see the statistics for per capita prevalence of certain categories of crime over time.
I suspect that the statistics wouldn't match up to the general cultural perception of frequency for specific categories.

I was mugged a few times in the 1970's in US and UK and most recently in the 1990's.
Rise in price of gold caused a spate. See here Freakonomics » As Gold Prices Soar, Criminals Catch On

Criminal activity may have declined because birth controls meant that not so many potential criminals were being born. More Freakonomics.

Originally Posted by DianeG

Back in the 70s you constantly heard about muggings, especially in big cities. Has that particular crime decreased because everyone uses plastic? I guess they could still take your watch or wedding ring, perhaps a cell phone, but it doesn't seem like people walk around with more than 20-50 bucks in their wallet any more.

There is substantially less risk and more reward in cybercrime.

I got mugged a couple of months ago...stole my iPad that was provided to me by a member of this forum....and a cheap watch and some cash.

Originally Posted by DianeG

Back in the 70s you constantly heard about muggings, especially in big cities. Has that particular crime decreased because everyone uses plastic? I guess they could still take your watch or wedding ring, perhaps a cell phone, but it doesn't seem like people walk around with more than 20-50 bucks in their wallet any more.

You don't hear about them as much because there are more serious crimes being committed that are being talked about and those crimes are more shocking so that the viewing audience is more entertained.