In the MacLean’s article titled “The real reason crime is falling so fast”, Zoe McKnight attempts to explain why the overall crime rate in Canada is dropping (although it may not seem like that all the time.) Referring to Statistics Canada’s latest figures McKnight goes on to try to explain why the number of crimes in Canada is dropping so rapidly. In the past people age 18- 24 have been the ones committing the most crime, but in recent years those who fall in that age category have been committing less and less crime. In an attempt to try to figure out why these numbers are dropping so rapidly criminologists are looking into the role technology has played. Criminologist Mike Sutton and psychologist Mark Griffiths have investigated the correlation
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With most companies and businesses wanting people to apply for jobs online and online classified like Kijiji becoming more popular than ads in the newspaper it is vital than at risk youth have regular access to the internet. If a person has access to the internet they can find a job, find an apartment, find local services nearby (food banks, shelters, etc.) and keep in touch with friends and family. All-important things mentioned in the article. But I can also understand why some people oppose this idea, thinking that the phones will be used to “facilitate drug deals or gang activity” however, Taylor-Rae Foster, a program coordinator at Youth Restorative Action Project has given out a total of 30 phones to teenagers under 17 and says she has not had any problems with the phones being tied to gang activity. She says that the phones have been used to help youth keep in touch with their friends and to help them find places to sleep.
In summary I agree with a majority of this article that the crime rates have gone down and that at risk youth benefit greatly from having access to cellphone and internet. However, I would like to see more proof of technology and social media being the reason youth are committing less crimes. Because for all we know there could be a completely different reason why less crimes are being committed. Maybe youth are getting better at avoiding being caught, or they’ve learned from the mistakes of the older generations and have decided to stay on the right side of the law. Until we see the proof we can’t be
With most companies and businesses wanting people to apply for jobs online and online classified like Kijiji becoming more popular than ads in the newspaper it is vital than at risk youth have regular access to the internet. If a person has access to the internet they can find a job, find an apartment, find local services nearby (food banks, shelters, etc.) and keep in touch with friends and family. All-important things mentioned in the article. But I can also understand why some people oppose this idea, thinking that the phones will be used to “facilitate drug deals or gang activity” however, Taylor-Rae Foster, a program coordinator at Youth Restorative Action Project has given out a total of 30 phones to teenagers under 17 and says she has not had any problems with the phones being tied to gang activity. She says that the phones have been used to help youth keep in touch with their friends and to help them find places to sleep.
In summary I agree with a majority of this article that the crime rates have gone down and that at risk youth benefit greatly from having access to cellphone and internet. However, I would like to see more proof of technology and social media being the reason youth are committing less crimes. Because for all we know there could be a completely different reason why less crimes are being committed. Maybe youth are getting better at avoiding being caught, or they’ve learned from the mistakes of the older generations and have decided to stay on the right side of the law. Until we see the proof we can’t be