Oregon has nation's biggest drop in violent crime; decrease in meth production may be key

Source: The Oregonian

The violent crime rate in Oregon dropped 10.6 percent in 2008, the largest decrease of any state in the nation, state justice officials said today. The main reason appears to be a dramatic drop in methamphetamine production and use. Mike Stafford, a public policy spokesman for the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, said the last time the violent crime rate was this low in Oregon was nearly in 1970 -- 40 years ago.

The 6.9 percent drop in property crime was the eighth largest decrease in the nation. Stafford said the last time property crime rate was this low was 1966. Crime statistics are calculated on a per-capita basis. "This moves Oregon down the 40th highest violent crime rate, and 23rd highest property crime rate," Stafford said. "Both of these are record lows for Oregon." Officials link the dramatic decrease to the decline in methamphetamine use, arrests for meth, and the state's aggressive restrictions on the purchase of the precursor drug pseudoephedrine.

Craig Prins, a spokesman for the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, said the state's crime rate began dropping in 2005. Meth-related arrests in the state are down 40 percent in the state since 2005. "Crime rates are local and they can be complicated,'' Prins said. "But 2005 is when we seemed to get on top of the meth problem. Without having to deal with meth labs and meth crimes, police can focus on interdiction on the I-5 corridor. We have also seen an increase in drug courts, and drug treatment."

Stafford said rural areas of the state had larger drops in both crimes against persons and property crimes. Violent crimes are murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, according to the FBI, which compiles the data from about 17,000 law enforcement agencies across the U.S.

Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/oregon_leads_the_nation_in_vio.html

Meth is a big problem in the rural areas of the Northwest, it becomes a cottage industry for those who have lost livelihoods in the current recession.

The only part of Oregon near a significant source of anonymously purchasable pseudoephedrine is that part in the relatively better off part in the Portland area. Towns on the Idaho, California, and the rest of the Washington border are relatively far away from most rural places in Oregon.

mind diminishing or psychotropic drugs.

One or two doses can keep a person up until they're psychotic.

Next they'll be saying alcohol is involved, too.......



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