i think it could be because the population is growing, but there are definatly other factors, schools are not as strict, neither are some parents, so many violent games and movies, there are riots and gang fights on the news....so many things could influence the increasing rate of violence. sometimes its just thrown in your face.

as technology and money makes the world smaller it has brought very violent results too.

I think this is an important not because of the simple maths but because as the world is more crowded people can not escape people causing frustration as we never have the 'alone time' we all need. There are of course other factors like the lack of distinction for some between real violence and media violence, the rise in gang violence and the eternal frustration our society has over loosing control of its politics. (demonstrated by the global demonstrations against the war in Iraq that were ignored by politicians in both the UK and USA).

Violent crime is down in New York. Why?? I don't think violent crime is rising in percentage other than gang related. That I think is due to crowding and opportunity. I don't think violent movies causes more violence in society any more than porno causes rapes. Some of it media attention that distorts the incidence.

If it were based solely on population increase, it wouldn't be that bad, but I think it is an increasing lack of morality. Parents don't teach children how to behave; heck - parents don't behave well themselves. We are increasingly becoming an automated and autonomous society that has forgotten how to interact with one another in simple and neihborly ways. We have forgotten what common courteousy is. There is an increased sense of entitlement. People have forgotten the difference between rights and priviledges. So, when someone else "steps on your toes", the reaction is not rational or reasonable or forgiving, but angry and violent. I also think that violence is glorified in the media and that plays a heavy hand in how our collective psyche is shaped - whether we want to believe it does or not. With our work week increasing and fears of economic strain and all the mounting pressures and responsibilitoes we have created for ourselves, we are overwhelmed and don't even realize it. It becomes too much for us and violence is born of that overload. People aren't happy with themselves or their lives and they want to blame someone else and take from someone else. Also, with the increase in technology and understanding of violent crime, we see far more detailed and accurate reporting of crime and statistical data is easier to access. So, is it an increase in crime or an increase in the statistics? I don't think it can be attributed to one thing. Population increase may play a bigger role in the future, when the WHOLE EARTH is truly CROWDED, but right now, there is plenty of room. Overcrowding is an urban and suburban perception. You can still drive out to middle America and see open space as far as the eye can see. Only a small percentage of Canada is populated at all. The overcrowding comes in with developed areas where there are jobs and schools and infrastructure already established. So, for now, I don't think overcrowding is a major factor - but it will be someday.

First we must remember that from the dawn of civilization there has always been crime and atrocities commmitted by our species. Human beings are complex creatures who have both the capacity for supreme good and the greatest evil. What I believe is a fundamental problem is that we have never been able to develop a sufficiently successful philosophy for living that would provide truly universal tools for achieving true happiness and the realization of the greatest potential for creating value in every individual. Without access to such tools reaching such goals are impossible. Ghandi illustrated this point well when he said; "You must become the change you want to see in the world." Self reformation is the key and the place we must start. It is not impossible, but you have to be willing to look at yourself and then be willing to change how your treat yourself and others and you need tools powerful enough to help you do that. No matter what we believe, if we think the solution lies outside ourselves no solution will ever be found.