Crime Everywhere at Christmas

<p>So-called smash & grab shoplifters have been getting an increased number of headlines, as have seemingly wanton acts of random violence. Are we in a crime wave death spiral? If so, what does that mean for economic growth? If not, why does it seem that way? Is the media making it out to be worse than it actually is? As we all know, the perception of crime is often worse than the actual crime itself. </p>