New at Reason: Radley Balko on How Fear of Crime Has Turned Us All Into Felons

October 19, 2009

Gallup polling shows that an increasing number of Americans believe violent crime is getting worse, even as it's been getting dramatically better. Reason Senior Editor Radley Balko argues that the disconnect is due to politicians who exploit our fear of crime to get elected. The result is an ever-expanding criminal code, more and more powers for police and prosecutors, and a state of affairs where it's nearly impossible for well-meaning citizens to abide by the law. Ironically, Balko writes, our perpetual fear of crime has created a society where everyone is now a potential criminal.

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