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by person1234 2122 days ago
That statistic specifically refers to violent crime. The original poster is referring to mental illness and drug usage.

They are correct that occurrences of mental illness have increased over time: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190315110908.h...

As well as overall drug usage (one way to measure is via overdoses): https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db329.htm

1 comments

Let me start with that first link, because it's a doozy. You said "mental illness have increased over time", but the paper said that _certain_ mental illnesses increased in _young_ Americans. Off that bat, that representation of the facts is not right. But even worse, you are applying this to a discussion about belligerence towards police, and the _types_ of mental illness mentioned by the paper starts with, that's right, depression.

I do not envision depression making a person more likely to lash out in a police confrontation. In the comment chain here, this is also presented in a the-sky-is-falling kind of narrative about the danger of the streets in the US. I'm going to be honest, this is upsetting to me. I was willing to listen to where you're coming from. Is this how police think? I don't like that thought.