RealClearPolitics - James Q. Wilson (1931-2012)
EXCERPTS:
"Prior to 1960, murder rates in the United States had been going down for decades. Even the absolute number of murders declined, while the population grew by millions. Despite the addition of two new states -- Hawaii and Alaska -- in 1960, the number of murders in the 50 states was less than it had been in the 48 states thirty years earlier.
"The murder rate in 1960 was just under half of what it had been in 1934....
"By systematically confronting the prevailing notions and rhetoric with undeniable facts to the contrary, James Q. Wilson began to wear away the prevailing social dogmas of intellectuals behind the counterproductive changes in law and society. It was much like water wearing away rock -- slowly but continually.
"The common sense that had once produced and sustained declining crime rates began to reappear, here and there, in the criminal justice system and sometimes prevailed. Murder rates began to decline again. James Q. Wilson was the leader in this fight. He said, "We have trifled with the wicked.
"There is no way to know which ones of us are alive today because of his work. But we all owe him a debt of gratitude.
