It is, however, still higher when compared to 1977. One should also pay attention to the geographic area one is located in. Americans have been fed a steady diet of crime-fear for decades . One is not told, however, that much of that kind of crime occurs in a only few neighborhoods in a small selection of cities. Even if individuals live in a large metropolitan area in the United States, they may be safer than they suspect.
Large cities are notorious for crime.
Rural and small town Americans are, likewise, perceived as safe. These perceptions, however, are not necessarily supported by the facts. There is an impression among the voting public that crime is on the rise in the United States and, therefore, we need to spend more money for more police and more prisons. Even if the voting public accepts the fact that crime rates have decreased, there is a tendency to view such declines as a result of increased public spending on law enforcement. Often, the drive for increased spending on crime prevention is related to political leaders, who have ties to larger spending programs in the criminal justice system.