America’s crime panic: why we can’t afford to repeat mistakes of the 90s

Fears of a crime wave have fueled calls for harsher policing - but we've been down this road, says researcher James Forman Jr

In the past two years, warnings of a pandemic-induced crime wave have become a staple of America's evening news. A historic rise in homicide rates and reports of frequent retail thefts and smash and grab robberies" have refreshed paranoia about a wave of violence and property crime. These fears have driven recall efforts against progressive prosecutors and calls from officials and residents alike to strengthen police forces.

But this isn't the first or even the second time the US has faced a moment of hysteria related to crime, reflexively calling for harsher punishments for perpetrators and more police officers on city streets.