Steven Greenhut on How the Nationwide Drop in Crime Could Save States Money
(rytc/flickr)
At the end of the Cold War, policy makers talked about the "peace dividend"—huge budgetary savings that could go elsewhere because fewer dollars were needed to deal with a vanquished Soviet Union. Americans may be facing a similar possibility closer to home, as crime levels plummet to the lowest they've been in decades. Such a large portion of local and state budgets goes toward "public safety," writes Steven Greenhut, that there's vast opportunity for a "domestic peace dividend."