L.O.L

http://investigations.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/04/22177302-are-the-xbox-and-unleaded-gas-helping-keep-you-safe-from-violent-crime?lite

Sharper policing strategies, stiffer prison sentences and newer technologies are again being credited as police officials proffer explanations for the two-decade decline in violent crime in America’s biggest cities.

But experts say the real reasons behind the downturn -- which included double-digit decreases in homicide rates last year in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles -- are more complicated and may involve factors as mundane as that X-Box sitting in the living room, Americans’ changing work habits and what comes out of your gas pump.

Here are seven other seldom-mentioned factors that those who study crime -- and even some who fight it – say may be helping keep a lid on harmful behavior:

Xbox effect: Dinner bells that summoned children from the great outdoors have long gone silent, and youths and young adults are spending more time on indoor pursuits involving high-definition TVs, gaming consoles and computers. That, say researchers, is having a positive impact on crime. Why? Fewer young people on the street mean fewer potential criminals and fewer targets for criminals.

I actually would say that parents are too scared nowadays to let their childeren play outside these days..

It's true, every time I try to make plans to break into someone's house and beat them up and take all their money, I get distracted by my Xbox. Once you've played Grand Theft Auto V, committing felonies in real life just can't live up to how you remember it. I get no buzz from real crimes anymore, except for downloading movies, music, and video games illegally, which I do simply for the principal of the matter.

I tried to get a bank heist going last week but my friends were all too busy playing Battlefield 4. I mean seriously? Battlefield 4? At least waste your bank-robbin time playing a GOOD game like Cod gosts, amirite?

Please don't call the cops on me, I'm tired and I'm obviously joking. Of course I don't think Gosts is a good game.

"it's 10 pm and we now where your kids are"

I'm going assume you know that "Xbox" is simply being used to mean "videogames". Kind of interesting that they'd chose Xbox, though. I guess that shows how well it did last gen. Still, I know plenty of people who would use Nintendo or Playstation in the same context.

Videogames have long been considered as a component in the decline of crime in the United States.

What comes out of your gas pump makes a huge difference. Car & Driver published an article in the past which referenced work comparing leaded fuel to violent crime rates. Apparently lead in gas exhausts can lead to abnormal development, which causes youth be be more agressivie and thus violent. Every country that bans leaded gas sees a sharp reduction in violent crime rates 20 years later (when those kids would grow up)