"Obama effect on crime", wait until you read this one.

[jbeige]

His approval ratings may be dismal, but some think President Obama may be responsible for the continually declining crime rate.

Slate reports that conventional criminological thinking would predict that crime would go up in the midst of economic hardship. But even as the economy remains sickly, crime continues to drop.

Some experts think Obama may be responsible. Essentially, the argument is that Obama's election has created such collective inspiration that it has changed the thinking and the behavior of would-be criminals.

[Confederate Kahanist]

It could be they are not counting some things as being a crime.

[HiWarp]

Or it could be that all the would be criminals just apply for government welfare programs to get free money. Why go out and steal when you can let the government do it for you and collect the benefits without the added consequence of possible jail time?

[maelgwyn]

Cooked up figures!