Explaining the American and Canadian crime "drop" in the 1990's

After decades of continuously increasing crime rates, Canada and the United States have now experienced their first prolonged period of decline in crime rates. Criminologists are just starting to look at the reasons that may explain such a reversal. In the U.S., many factors have been invoked to explain the trend, including increases in the number of police officers, more aggressive policing, and an increased use of incarceration. Although Canada's crime trends are similar to those found in the U.S., there has been little or no change in policing practices or incarceration trends. This paper suggests that the causes of the decline in crime rates lie elsewhere, namely, in demographic shifts, improved employment opportunities, and changes in collective values.