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Are Veterans More Likely to Commit Violent Crime?
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by politisite | January 14, 2008 at 02:01 pm
2808 views | 12 Recommendations | 10 comments
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Are Veterans More Likely to Commit Violent Crime? If you read the New York Times you would think so. I remember reading a book called. "Damned Lies and Statistics" by Joel Best. In this book, Best shows how statistics are used in the media to give a story credibility. When you go back to the study or data used, a quite different conclusion may be found. The New York Times uses data that appears to show Veterans are more violent or likely to cause a fatal accident. Read on and see the other side of this story. Hopefully, when you see statistics in news stories, you will dig deeper and actually look at the data used to make their point.
The Wacko-Vet Myth Now echoed by the New York Times.by John J. DiIulio Jr.
01/14/2008 4:00:00 PM
IN A PAGE-ONE STORY published Sunday, January 13, 2008, "Across America, Deadly Echoes of Foreign Battles," the New York Times reported on homicides by veterans of the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Seven Times reporters contributed to the lengthy story, which was co-authored by Deborah Sontag and Lizette Alvarez.
The Times "found 121 cases in which veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan committed a killing in this country, or were charged with one, after their return from war." All but one case involved male veterans. They speculated that their research "most likely uncovered only the minimum number of such cases, given that not all killings" were "reported publicly or in detail," and because "it was often not possible to determine the deployment history of other service members arrested on homicide charges."
The Times cited experts including Robert Jay Lifton, a lecturer in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School who "used to run 'rap groups' for Vietnam veterans and fought to earn recognition for what became known as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD." The story noted that numerous "studies on the problems of Vietnam veterans have established links between combat trauma and higher rates of unemployment, homelessness, gun ownership, child abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse--and criminality." It also quoted criminologist Lawrence W. Sherman: "The real tragedy in these veterans' cases is that, where PTSD is a factor, it is highly treatable. . . . And when people are exposed to serious trauma and don't get it treated, it is a
serious risk factor for violence."
See Also on NowPublic Prostituting for Politics: The New York Times Lies in Smearing Veterans as Crazed Killers by PEP
[q
url="http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/014/592buqao.asp?pg=2"]In
April 2007, a detailed report showing that veterans were
half as likely as non-veterans to be in prison, but that was explained
mainly by the fact that two-thirds of male veterans in the population
at large were aged 55 or older (older people are less likely to be
found behind bars). The incarcerated veterans were somewhat more likely
than incarcerated non-veterans to have committed violent crimes, and
far more likely to have committed violent crimes against females or
minors. There is, however, no evidence at all that ex-military
personnel, including veterans who served in combat theatres and saw
action, figure significantly or disproportionately in murder, rape,
robbery, burglary, or property crimes.
[/q]
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politisite
Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (10)
at 15:35 on January 14th, 2008
politisite, always important to take a deeper look at statistics when formulating a perspective.
at 16:15 on January 14th, 2008
No, they're not. The Times "statistics" have been effectively been debunked by several sources, including this one.
at 17:18 on January 14th, 2008
PEP:
Added your article in the body. Didn't realize you picked this one up.
Al
at 18:06 on January 14th, 2008
Actually, Al, I enjoy cross-linking between members' stories, it's good for everyone.
at 16:43 on January 14th, 2008
politisite, I like this story. It's good stuff.
It serves well to look at stats closely, no matter the context. One man's majority is another man's niche group, after all.
at 18:05 on January 14th, 2008
politisite, John Wayne Gacy, Son of Sam, and that Cannibal Guy Dahmer if memory serves me never wore a uniform, as well as the Oklahoma bombers and other Fruitcakes, for if it were true Veterans were the cause of more violence, the media would certainly take every opportunity to report it.
I think the media who took this poll and printed it are sorely "Tiched in the Hayd" worthy of a "Alabama Wife Beater" Award.
at 19:12 on January 14th, 2008
Barry: Sorry to say that Dahmer was a Medic in the Army as was the Master Mind of the Oklahoma Federal building Bombing. So we can say that if you are an Army Medic you are more likely to eat people or blow up buildings, or you may be more likley to save lives in the battlefield. Oh, by the way, Politisite, was a US Army Medic.
Al
at 22:41 on January 14th, 2008
True, but then isnt your story about War Vets? I am pretty certain dahmer never saw combat,unless German Gasthaus' were at war, so his experiences in combat were more like going to the local drive in movie theatre. As for McVeigh, well he didn't see any combat either though he was in the Gulf in 1991. His desire to be in the special forces required a 90 minute march with a 45 pound pack which he failed miserably at, thus his failure to live up to that military standard. I think I am pretty sharp with my facts,
at 10:23 on April 16th, 2009
Tim Mcveigh served as a Bradley gunner in the 1st Infantry division which definitely saw combat during the ground invasion of Iraq and Kuwait. BTW he was awarded a Bronze Star, which is only awarded for actions in combat. Spreading disinformation doesn't help.
at 07:26 on November 21st, 2008
what does this article mean?