Are iPods responsible for more violent crime?
Wed Mar 5, 2008 11:28AM EST
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Food for thought on a Wednesday morning: The allure of the iPod may be so strong, says one Washington D.C. think tank, that it's leading to more violent crime because crooks so badly want to steal them.
Researchers have been struggling to find an explanation for why, after almost 15 years of annual declines, violent crime rates in the U.S. began to rise again in 2005. The key point: robberies (which largely consists of muggings as we know them) are the one area where violent crime has really been on the rise, jumping from 137 incidents per 100,000 people in 2004 to 149 in 2006. Other crimes, like rape and aggravated assault, did not increase.
Meanwhile, the number of iPods on the market during those years soared from 5 million to 90 million. This wild increase in the number of potential victims, says the Urban Institute, likely contributed to and created a sort of miniature crime wave.
Reports from various cities' police departments tend to bear out this research.
Still, there are some holes in the research and its conclusions. The greatest increase in robberies occurred in areas with less foot traffic, for example. And the number of homicides (a frequent side effect of muggings gone wrong) increased only slightly from 5.5 to 5.7 per 100,000 people over the same time span. Researchers say they would have expected a larger increase if muggings were on the rise. But the biggest question is whether it's really the iPod (and other shiny gadgets) that led to the rise in robberies. In other words, thieves might just as well have gone for wallets and watches had the iPod never hit the market.
We'll probably never know for sure, but it still pays to be safe when you're on the street and listening to your tunes: Keep your iPod out of sight as much as possible, substitute different earbuds for Apple's iconic white ones, and keep music at a low enough volume level where you can still be aware of your surroundings. And stay on the right side of the tracks, Einstein.
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7 Posted by bri3783 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:13PM EDT Report Abuse
I'm sure it has nothing to do with the complete lack of funding for the school systems, a failing government, shaky economy, and constant fear about our future either due to 'terrorism' or nuclear holocaust. Our bridges collapse, our police forces have funding cut, schools lose federal support, all because the US has been afraid for 7 years. Ipods have absolutely nothing to do with the increase in crime, they're just the most noticeable thing someone carries.
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8 Posted by somebodys_here on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:32PM EDT Report Abuse
I'd say yes... been to a public high school lately? thses things get stolen on a daily basis; happened to my Nano, got ripped out of my hand- and I have a strong grip. Not so sure about the violent aspects, but thefts are definitely going up because of these things. (Good idea, get Apple headphones, and listen to a cheapo MP3 bought at Walgreens for like $15. that would make any would-be theif mad.. to find out he just wasted his time on a piece of crapola :)
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9 Posted by ghostly_sences on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:08PM EDT Report Abuse
I have to say yes people that want them and do not have the money for them or are just too low to go buy their own WILL rob one off of someone.Maybe best if out of sight out of mind.Like they tell you to lock your car and do not have anything in sight to cause someone to smash into your car and get it.Even loose change.Anything.Thats why they made removable stereo faces.
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10 Posted by jimdayentx on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:35PM EDT Report Abuse
Ummm magpagbst (comment 5) you could go to their website, definitely not the type of music I like. Just yahoo search (sorry had to since it's their site) or google- pepper spray band. I prefer straight rock. ummm if you catch my drift. LOL And there's nothing wrong with that kind of music for those that like it. I just don't think it's what you had in mind m.
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11 Posted by colarbe on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:28PM EDT Report Abuse
It's iPods, it's MP3's, it's cell phone's, it's crack, if your a thief you will sell anything you can take easily and get rid of just as easy. It's the times, they are are changing. The music, the video's the children at home alone, single families, sex everywhere, even on non-cable channels. Some of the Hip Hop generation can say any filthy thing that comes to mind and they're able to broadcast it like it was something wholesome, it's painful to see how this generation is able to do and say anything they want and it's ok.
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12 Posted by treesa815 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:19PM EDT Report Abuse
jfujfdikdgijkorfkgiujfolrhbjfhfiolkdlhb fkcjvljbk mhjygyggrfyhtggyhbvyhybkuhjgjjjjjdttgujttdyjyhikygrfeyyhikgvucjyhgkfd,jcmhgbkfjnedzjedgbrmnjhthfetgddhgbcdbjdgtfcvxgsxthgvnjdtgbhgjvryhijgervjkghvryhghbgnbdfrvfnchbnvekdmncfjgvhtgybhrjhfnvfyhjhtnjgybyfgnbfhtrgftgfvvyghsdfgbjfhnvgjhdvgsBZedjcdgbvjdcgbhbd nfhcvdgbghdcbfjcghujcdgtdhcnzgtdhgfdhjndfgbhgncwscbcfvfhvhfqaghfdwfgbgyytdgdfrrgfvtfetyghbvghfcvggvhb fhnfgbcdyhtgdhjfgcyhxngbfvdhccgfdbwjsgbfvedr.psgfjhfbkfjgnvudjfkhvnckdfnjvrkfghvnjvkrfjbhnufjsxhnfdyuhsjnhadfycdbgrfxhjztgvncjrtfdjfiddjhghjsjhyfjjkddxjbxncdh tvfnnhdfjdhbj tnfnfjrnfjvghbtghjjn
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13 Posted by d.0611s on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:33PM EDT Report Abuse
A guy stole my iPod touch 32 gigabyte last week. They found him by using a program called Find my iPod. Go to www.findmyipod.com. They can tell where its been used last by using the serial code!!!!
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14 Posted by rorbincalendar on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:51PM EDT Report Abuse
The ONLY one who ever deserves any blame in a crime is the one who commits it! _____I'm glad to see Chris warning us but the group who came up with this theory probably should be in another line of work. They are the same kind that would try to partially blame a rape victim because of how they dress. Then again maybe we should blame a fork and spoon for the reason that Michael Moore is fat.
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15 Posted by kenwestin on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:49PM EDT Report Abuse
My name is Ken Westin and I am the founder of GadgetTrak ( www.gadgettrak.com ), based in Portland, Oregon. I noticed your article on the Urban Institute's recent panel and thought you might be interested in what we are doing. We provide software that enables devices to send information back regarding their location when they are stolen. Over the past few months we have recovered several iPods for our customers, we have also launched new products for cell phones and laptop computers. Mobile device theft is becoming an increasing problem and it is not limited to iPods, we are seeing a rise in laptop, cell phone and GPS thefts. Feel free to contact me for more information regarding our products, company or gadget theft in general. Kind Regards, -- Ken Westin GadgetTrak - Founder http://www.gadgettrak.com
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16 Posted by aa4mw on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:43PM EDT Report Abuse
Any true wblue earer of tinfoil hats knows it is the CIA mind control system having problems. LOL
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17 Posted by laviskrg on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:57PM EDT Report Abuse
This theory is ridiculous, pathetic and quite amusing actually. Robberies have become more frequent because life has become more expensive, crime has become closer to normality in many cities and neighbourhoods, and the law is getting more and more permissive. The iPod has nothing to do with it. Nor do other shiny gadgets. Sure, we must be careful while on the street, but come on, does listening to music really distract us that much. I am quite paranoid when I need to walk through dark places at night, and I usually look around really carefully and generally study the terrain. Muggers are everywhere these days, and if, for example, the steal your iPod, it's because it's there and they can sell it further on. Whether it's iPods, new designer shoes, backpacks or credit cards that get stolen, the ones who are truly to be blamed are the people who steal them.
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18 Posted by marsup22 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:09PM EDT Report Abuse
LOL on the pepper spray!!!!
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19 Posted by pilotaa34 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:12PM EDT Report Abuse
omg ! this is such a deep theory. shoot Im only going to listen to my ipod when i work out now. Not when im in malls, or out in the streets. if you really think about it, that in a sense isolates you from the world and puts you into your own world.
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20 Posted by godzuki_13 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:10PM EDT Report Abuse
No. No, no, no, no, NO! There seriously cannot be a "think-tank" in Washington that believes that iPods are boosting robbery numbers. I don't put much credence into what most "think-tanks" say anyway but this is sheer idiocy. Have the authors of this report never heard of things like the credit crisis, the housing crisis, the health insurance/health care crisis, the loss of US jobs to foreign countries, Iran and Afghanistan and all of their consequences at home, the rising number of high school dropouts, the skyrocketing cost of higher education, the savings crisis, the exponential rise of energy costs and the resulting rise of the cost of goods and services and the decade long retirement investment crisis? Maybe, just maybe these factors have led to higher robbery statistics, not the rise of the iPod. I'm glad that the original story gave some perspective with the quote by the actual expert at the end. This yahoo blog did also with some good sense tips for iPod users. I ride the bus in New York City every day and I follow those tips. The white earbuds sound pretty bad anyway. So it's not a bad idea to follow some basic safety ideas with the iPod but they don't make you any more of a target than your laptop, jewelry, smartphone or wallet do. So now we know that the Urban Institute, the authors of the study, waste money with stupid theories. It sounds like something that lazy college students came up with at the last possible minute.
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6 Posted by rogueist on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:49PM EDT Report Abuse
Good point, but you missed a few things. Why are robberies up? Because the real rate of unemployment ha----- a new high (number of people over 18 not in school or the military and not working - not that fake number the keep using showing how many people are collecting unemployment at any given time) and people are desperate for money. Without being able to work a legitimate job, they resort to robbery. And why iPods? They can be easily pawned. Since when on the street it looks like at least 1 in 5 people have an iPod, pawn shops will not even blink an eye when someone sells them an iPod. And they can easily erase what is on them and sell them used through eBay and other auction websites. iPods are still a very hot commodity for sale. For thieves these are equivalent to portable wads of cash.