In the 1990’s, California was a far more violent place than it is today.
Large swaths of Los Angeles were like war zones between police and various gangs.
The Mission District in San Francisco was far more dangerous than it is today.
During the Rodney King Riots in 1992, many residents questioned whether Los Angeles would survive.
But the good news is that since that point, crime plummeted across the board - in California and the broader United States.
Criminologists argued that the decrease was driven by a combination of forces: better policing, higher graduation rates, improved economic outcomes, and abortion rights.
Regardless of why it happened…
The data doesn’t lie.
California is dramatically safer compared to 30 years ago.
The media likes to whip us into a frenzy over individual incidents.
Violent crime in California increased by 6% in 2021 - driven by COVID-19 factors, - but consider that it is down by more than 50% since 1992.
Society is a much safer place today compared to where we were.
What is the lesson?
When we zoom out, we see the forest for the trees.
The big picture teaches us that things in California and the United States are a lot better than we thought.
And a safe society is good for everyone - regardless of race, class, ethnicity, or gender.
May it only get safer.