Crimes in the USA

In the United States the causes of serious crimes are hotly debated, as elsewhere. Among them are unemployment, drug-abuse, poverty, inadequate police enforcement, ineffective courts, racial discrimination, television and “a general decline in middle-class values”.

Many communities have started their own campaigns against crime.

They encourage their citizens to participate in crime prevention programs and to report crimes. Several civil rights groups actively support such “self-help” campaigns. In some neighborhoods, citizens participate in “neighborhood watch” programs and organize groups to patrol the streets.

Public opinion polls show that most Americans feel handguns are responsible for the high murder rate. A majority of Americans, some 70 percent, favor laws banning the private ownership of all handguns. At present, there are about 23,000 state and local gun laws and ordinances throughout the US. Some states only prohibit carrying handguns. In others owners must register all handguns and have a license to carry them. In some communities people are not allowed to own any handguns.

Many Americans cite the Second Amendment to the Constitution:

“…the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”.

They say “Guns don’t kill, people do”.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-21