US Murder Rate Increases by 30%!- Psychological Reasons

Why is the US murder rate so high in recent times? What is the psychological reason behind it? Find ways to protect yourself, family and friends now.  

Crime Rates in the US

The FBI reported that the US crime rate has been on the rise for the past few years and 2021 has seen the highest increase in comparison to the past six decades. The FBI also saw a fall in rape, robbery, vandalism, and other common crimes. It has shown that 77% of the murders in the US were committed using firearms. The US violent crime rate has also increased by 5%. The officials state both the jumps are still 34% lower than what existed in 1991. 

FBI Crime Statistics 2021

Around 21500 individuals have become victims to murder in 2021. St.Louis, Missouri, is the murder capital of the US at present. Latin America also has a high crime rate in the US. The highest murder rate in the US by city 2021 reports show the following five places to top the US violent crime rate chart,

• Anchorage, Alaska
• Gallup, Mexico
• Memphis, Tennessee
• West Memphis, Arkansas
• North Las Vegas, Nevada

Psychological Reasons Behind the Increasing US Crime Rates

The increasing US murders per year led several researchers to question the psychological reason behind it. Here are the top-most reasons behind the sudden increase in crime rates in the US.

The Pandemic

The emotional and financial trauma experienced during the pandemic has pushed several individuals to take up crime for survival. The communities struggling before the pandemic were hit harder during the pandemic. Law enforcement agencies had also reported a drastic increase in the no. of illegal firearm possession cases.

Hate Crime

The majority of the murders were unplanned, not directed at any particular person, and happened out of the blue. The increasing number of school shootings have threatened the entire US population. The police killings of Black Americans have also become an abnormal type of increase. Rage, anger, and easy access to guns are the common reasons behind the rise.

Why Do People Kill?

Psychological profilers have been coming up with several ways to categorize criminals and other individuals who can end up killing somebody. The present studies have shown that 

• Serial killers (Visionary, missionary, hedonistic, and power killers)
• Psychopaths
• Organized Killers
• Disorganized killers

Experienced a traumatic childhood, been to jail, had violent episodes in the past, or just developed a liking towards enjoying the pain of their victims.

• Genes can contribute to violent behavior
• The lack of empathy
• Attention seeking characteristics
• The lack of a family
• The inability to connect emotionally
• Individuals who perform poorly in school or work, being highly criticized for the same turn out to be murderers in many instances. 

What to Do If Someone Starts Shooting?

What to do if you encounter someone with a gun or if they are pointing towards you? (Evacuate, Hide, or Attack Back)

• Take note of nearby exits wherever you go.
• Call 911 as soon as possible. Inform the location, no. of shooters, and casualties.
• Stay calm and try to lock yourself in safe places where you can lock any entry.
• A gunshot to the head, heart, lung, and neck are fatal, so take cover.
• Try to take down the shooter if there is no way to flee the scene. 
• Keep your hands visible while officers enter the scene and try to evacuate the place in the same direction as the rescue team’s entry.
• The first team of officers will try to contain the scene rather than helping the victims. Therefore make sure you don’t bleed to death. (Pulling out the bullet or sharp object piercing you can make you bleed more)

Apart from this, creating an emergency action plan and implementing drills similar to fire drills can create preparedness. It is also necessary to maintain a healthy society by looking out for violence.