# Has America's post-9/11 security state had any effect on non-terrorist crime? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 16, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-americas-post-9-11-security-state-had-any-effect-on-non-terrorist-crime/188959 "2003-07-16T19:36:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-americas-post-9-11-security-state-had-any-effect-on-non-terrorist-crime/188959/1 "2003-07-16T19:36:30Z")
This might belong in GD, but I’m putting it in GQ because it is a question with a definite, factual answer, whatever that answer might be. Ever since the 9/11/02 attacks, everything in America has been security, security, security! There are stricter controls and screening procedures at airports, our borders are much more closely monitored, and we have a whole new federal department to coordinate it all. I have found myself wondering: What effect has all this had on non-terrorist forms of crime? Has their been any reduction? For instance, it seems to me that if the Coast Guard is patrolling our waters for terrorists, much more intensively than it used to, that should make it much harder to smuggle cocaine into this country. The War on Terrorism ought to have an incidental chilling effect on crime in general, even if that was not intended. But I don’t know whether things have actually worked out that way. Does anybody know? Have our crime rates gone down recently, and can that be attributed to our heightened security environment? ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-americas-post-9-11-security-state-had-any-effect-on-non-terrorist-crime/188959/2 "2003-07-18T21:56:47Z")
Well, for your example, check out the [stats](http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/comrel/factfile/Factcards/DrugStats.html) : It seems that there was no real increase or decrease since 9/11. If anything, I’d have guessed that drug busts would be down, as the missions and priorities have changed, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. I do know that underway hours for resources are up across the boards, due to the added HLS missions. Here’s the [Customs & Border Protection](http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/about/accomplish/drug_seizure_data.xml) stats. Again, no trend that jumps out beginning FY02. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-americas-post-9-11-security-state-had-any-effect-on-non-terrorist-crime/188959/3 "2003-07-18T22:00:34Z")
To clarify, the first link are the USCG stats by fiscal year. ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-americas-post-9-11-security-state-had-any-effect-on-non-terrorist-crime/188959/4 "2003-07-18T23:08:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BrainGlutton \* > \*\* > > Ever since the 9/11/02 attacks, everything in America has been security, security, security! \*\* They hit us again in 2002? Those bastards!