[jgalt212]

or the elimination of leaded gasoline.

[thrower123]

In reality, it is probably a hugely complicated blending of all these different effects that is almost impossible to tease out root causes for. Complex systems are complex.

[codesushi42]

The drop is likely related to the precipitous technological change at the time though.

The Internet, wireless communication, video games, cheap cable TV. Even Internet porn.

I don't really see cellphones as being the defining factor here. They were relatively rare during the 90s. Even by the early 00s, only rich folks owned them.

[tonyedgecombe]

Or too cheap to steal consumer goods.

[sdinsn]

Crime rates fell across the board, not just petty crime. Violent crime rates fell especially hard

[Gibbon1]

Rape dropped by 75-80% between 1970 and 2015.

[cal5k]

Or video games.