[originaltext] In spite of stories of prosperity in the United States, not o

In spite of stories of prosperity in the United States, not only does poverty exist there, but crimes of various types have been increasing at an alarming rate.
    Most types of serious crime increased from 3613.5 in every 100,000 people in 2003 to 535.5 in 20014. In that one year, there was one murder committed every 24 minutes, one case of robbery in every 10 minutes and one case of rape in every 7 minutes. The cases of murder involved 21,456 victims. Most cases of violence were committed by young people. 57% of the criminals arrested in 2004 were youths below 25 years of age.
    Everyone agrees that crime is partly a result of bad material conditions--poverty, lack of education, living without a settled home, being parentless, sufferings due to other kinds of misfortunes, etc.
    There are other factors than material conditions which are responsible for the sharp increase of the crime rate. In the first place, some states have made laws approving the death penalty but some have not. Secondly, the constitution allows every citizen to carry weapons for his own protection. It is therefore possible and easy for anyone in the country to get a gun. Finally, there has been too much violence shown on TV and too much violence reported in newspapers of all kinds. The details of the crimes are so accurately described that even children know how to repeat what they have seen or read. All of these have resulted in a higher frequency of crimes committed both by professional criminals and non-professional ones such as murder, drug smuggling, robbery, pocket-picking, etc.