Getting tough on criminals works in terms of reducing violence. We saw two waves of such in the late 20th century, and their combined stories tell us many interesting things, including why some of the numbers look a little odd. Take-aways Two waves of tough-on-crime laws suppressed gun violence but in different ways. The first wave made reductions via the second wave look less effective than they otherwise would have appeared. Federal initiatives to get all states to enact certain tough-on-crime laws helped more crime-lenient states catch up to more restrictive states in terms of reducing violent crime. The issue and the reaction Violent crime in America started a steady and steep upward climb in the 1970s and 1980s and into the first few years of the 1990s. And Americans got damn sick of it all. In response to seemingly out-of-control crime, states and even the federal government began looking … Continue reading →