Not as bad as painted

With interest I read Mike Masterson’s recent “Our changed nation,” which compared conditions during his extended 1976 tour of the country to the present. Some of his hot-button cultural and social issues defy quantification and are not in my bandwidth for comment. But facts are readily available about crime, gas prices, and the economic health of American cities.

Gas prices adjusted for inflation have been surprisingly stable since 1976. After accounting for improved fuel efficiency, we are paying on average less per vehicle mile traveled for fuel today than in 1976. Traffic fatalities show an even more dramatic decrease. In 1976 the country experienced 22 fatalities per 100,000 population, which dropped to 13 fatalities per 100,000 in 2019.

While the recent uptick in violent crime is certainly troubling, overall crime, violent crime, and murder have all steadily declined since the early 1990s and are far lower today than 1976. According to the Uniform Code of Reporting, overall reported crime has declined from 5,287 per 100,000 in 1976 to 2,489 per 100,000 in 2019. Violent crime has declined from 467 per 100,000 reported instances in 1976 to 379 in 2019, and murders from 8.7 per 100,000 in 1976 to 5.0 in 2019. Even adjusted for the recent increases in 2020 and 2021, crime rates today are significantly lower than in 1976.

He implies the state of today’s cities is cause for alarm. After adjusting for inflation, the mean household income increased from $56,254 to $67,465, with almost all this increased wealth being created in cities.

I grew up about 25 miles from Harrison where Mr. Masterson now resides. Harrison was attractive, proud of its vibrant downtown, anchored by a historic courthouse. Sadly, now when I visit, I see an abandoned downtown, cheaply constructed and dying strip centers, and a townscape obliterated by a proliferation of unsightly signs. Recently I read an article indicating that Boone County is abandoning its historic courthouse.

So, Mr. Masterson, perhaps your prodigious writing skills could be put to good use suggesting ways to improve Harrison. I would be happy to travel there and give you some new ideas.

GARNER STOLL

Fayetteville