It turns out shoplifting isn’t spiraling out of control, but lawmakers are pushing for tougher penalties for low-level and nonviolent crimes anyway.

It turns out shoplifting isn’t spiraling out of control, but lawmakers are pushing for tougher penalties for low-level and nonviolent crimes anyway.

Over the last couple of years, it seemed that America was experiencing a shoplifting epidemic. Videos of people brazenly stealing merchandise from retailers often went viral; chains closed some of their stores and cited a rise in theft as the primary reason; and drugstores such as CVS and Walgreens started locking up more of their inventory, including everyday items like toothpaste, soaps, and snacks. Lawmakers from both major parties called for, and in some cases even implemented, more punitive law enforcement policies aimed at bucking the apparent trend.

But evidence of a spike in shoplifting, it turns out, was mostly anecdotal. In fact, there’s little data to suggest that there’s a nationwide problem in need of an immediate response from city councils or state legislatures. Instead, what America seems to be experiencing is less of a shoplifting wave and more of a moral panic.

…

Now, those more forgiving criminal justice policies are at risk, in part because of a perceived trend that appears to have been overblown.

  • originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com
    1384·
    10 months ago

    “a moral panic”… generating this is standard operating procedure for the people in charge.

    if you want to bring the hammer down, develop ‘a moral panic’ and get those susceptible constituents to go along with it.

    hate brown people? pretend there is an immigration problem. scared of homosexuals? dont ya know, theyre comin to convert your kids.

    “a moral panic” is the rod conservatives use to beat their voters into submission with.

    • RagnarokOnline@programming.dev
      23·
      10 months ago

      Yep, gotta agree here.

      It’s not so much that there’s a conspiracy or anything that defined, but Facebook or other non-authoritative news sources create a “news-wave” (as opposed to a “crime wave”), and legislators come across it and balk.

    • AnneBonny@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      23·
      10 months ago

      *>“a moral panic” is the rod conservatives use to beat their voters into submission with.

      Not just conservatives.

      FTA:

      New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks during a press conference on reducing shoplifting.

      Edit: Apparently I don’t know shit about Eric Adams, who was not only a cop, but a supporter of the “stop and frisk” policy.

      • 9point6@lemmy.world
        20·
        10 months ago

        Isn’t the whole US political spectrum between some conservatives and some different conservatives who tolerate a few lefties hanging out with them too?

        • VikingHippie@lemmy.wtf
          7·
          10 months ago

          Pretty much between to the right of Reagan conservatives and outright fascists.

          The Dem leadership hasn’t been center-left since Carter at the latest and the GOP hasn’t been a legitimate political party at all since 2015.

        • markr@lemmy.world
          2·
          10 months ago

          Yes but now it has shifted to the right yet again, so it is one fascist party and one rightwing party.

      • grue@lemmy.worldEnglish
        11·
        10 months ago

        Are you assuming that just because he’s a Democrat he can’t be conservative? I hate to break it to you, but that’s not a good assumption.

      • VikingHippie@lemmy.wtf
        51·
        10 months ago

        “Not just conservatives” he says and mentions fascist cop (but I repeat myself) Eric Adams as an example 🤦

        Fun* fact: most of the Dem party top is conservative to the point of being to the right of Reagan

        *and by “Fun” I mean tragic and infuriating

        • AnneBonny@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          4·
          10 months ago

          “Not just conservatives” he says and mentions fascist cop (but I repeat myself) Eric Adams as an example 🤦

          Yeah, I deserved that. I didn’t do my research.

      • Habahnow@sh.itjust.works
        3·
        10 months ago

        Not really a good example. As the article indicates, most of the 24 tracked cities saw an average drop in shoplifting. The main exceptions were New York and Los Angeles which saw increased shoplifting rates, especially compared to 2019. This means that Eric Adams appears to be addressing a real problem occurring in New york, vs maybe other cities which may be attempting to address non existent problems (or problems which the information we track doesn’t show).

        • VikingHippie@lemmy.wtf
          5·
          10 months ago

          New York and Los Angeles which saw increased shoplifting rates

          Increased ARREST rates for shoplifting. Both the NYPD and the LAPD as well as the LA County Sheriff are infamous for overpolicing, especially of poor people and minorities. Add at least one “tough on crime mayor” and arrests for poverty-related crimes go up regardless of whether crime does.

          This means that Eric Adams appears to be addressing a real problem

          “Appears to” being the operative words.