Tennessee crime trends within the state tend to be organized by the level of crimes. However they organized their own form of SAC, or form at which they record crimes known as the TIBRS or “Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System.” Within the system they have it organized in terms of the type of offenses, age category such as juvenile or adult, what has been reported and cleared, type of offense and finally grand total of each category. Throughout the survey which was last posted in 2008, the most common offense reported was simple assault at a total of 95,365 reported, 49281 were cleared, 27,888 were adults, and 5667 were juvenile. Throughout their various types of surveys, you could almost find any and all offenses of sorts in many different graphs or postings and types. In regards to UCR more information is required, for example: In 2008 have there been more adults reported of simple assault than juvenile in the state of Tennessee? Are men more likely to assault someone than women? Have the offenses of simple assault reported increased or decreased from 2006 to 2008? In conducting self report surveys we need to know: Are assault violators more likely to abuse drugs than thieves? Are assault violators more likely to assault someone at a bar or a construction site? Are assault violators raised in a rough environment? And most importantly the NCVS needs to be conducted on whether victims are more likely to be attacked during the day or night, are victims more likely to be men or women, and are assault victims likely to become assaulters themselves in the future? Analyzing the data on these factors is the key to understanding how and why crime is committed. For more statistics visit Tennessee's Justice Research Statistics Analysis Center.
The crime that has been on the local news media in Tennessee is the Cobbins' case. Cobbins had tortured, murdered and raped a couple in 2007 while they were on a date and he was now being convicted along with his brother Lemaricus Davidson and their friends George Thomas and Vanessa Coleman. The victim’s names were Channon Christian and her boyfriend, Christopher Newsom both of who were in their early twenties. Cobbins proceeded to hijack their car at gun point then blindfolded them, took them to a rundown house and took Christopher where he sexually abused him, shot and burned him to death, then was thrown like a sack of potatoes by railroad tracks. Less than 24 hours later Cobbins grabbed Channon raped and beat her then put a paper bag over her head to suffocate her which led to her death then she was wrapped a plastic and thrown in a dumpster. The act of criminal behavior goes along with the Choice/ Rational Theory. There has been no evidence to the fact that he had premeditated, acted on a crime of hate or anything to the extent that he knew how everything was going to happen when it happened. As he was being charged guilty of 33 out of 38 crimes, he just shook his head as if he was saying no but he had no other emotion than that. He had weighed his options to if he were to commit such a horrendous crime that he could be charge with life without parole or even death, but even with thinking of the cons and pros he decided to go forth and do the crime anyways. In the end, a couple years later he is now facing life with no parole. In order to help these offenders in the future is to lock them up or if the state allows the death penalty. It is an eye for an eye, because the victim’s family now has to deal with remorse and not seeing their daughter or son anymore just because of someone wanting to do something hate and stupid. If the criminal was willing to kill once, he would be willing to kill again.
Currently, in the state of Tennessee, marriage between same sex couples is illegal (Nexis, 2009). What people fail to realize is that legalizing this issue can be greatly beneficial to the state’s economy. Six states in the United States allow same sex marriages, one of them being Massachusetts (CNN, 2009). Studies show that over the last four and a half years, Massachusetts’ economy has increased $111 million dollars due to same sex marriages (Lynch, 2009). Although an important factor, money is not the only reason as to why this issue should be legal. The United States gives every citizen religious freedom, yet they do not allow homosexuals to take part in marriage. In the year 2000, there were 595,000 households containing same sex partners (Avert, 2009). These couples are citizens and they should be given the rights of every other couple living in the U.S. In addition, same sex marriages are not harmful to anyone. Tennessee would not be placing their society in danger. Almost 70% of U.S. citizens are opposed to same sex marriages, yet nearly all of those same people believe that homosexuals should receive equal treatment when it comes to issues such as domestic rights, jobs, and government benefits (Bidstrup, 2009). Tennessee would only benefit from changing their current law.
When thinking of Tennessee and things that need to become illegal, the "Saggy Pants" Bill is probably the first to come to mind. The bill is trying to be passed so that: "Whether proposed legislation, which makes it a class C misdemeanor to knowingly wear pants below one’s waistline, in a public place, in a manner that exposes one’s underwear or bare buttocks, is constitutional." This act should be criminalized because it is purposefully disrespectful, offensive, and profane. This Bill is already supported by many government officials of Tennessee including Honorable Karen D. Camper, State Representative, and Rep. Joe Towns Jr. After the Ban on shirtless joggers in Palm Beach, Florida which "(1) stabilize its land values and maintain its role as a residential community; and (2) to maintain the history, tradition, identity, and quality of life of the town." There is much hope for this Saggy Pants Ban to become law. For first time offenders the fine would be that of $250 and for fourth time offenders the fine would be $1000.
Whether legality or constitutionality play an issue in the crime rates in Tennessee, it is fairly obvious that Tennessee, along with the rest of the United States, has a lot on their plate.
Mansfleid, D. (2009, August 25). Man convicted in brutal slayings of Tenn. Couple. The Associated Press, retrieved online from http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hNmWe_648Dmb82xnnYiHPpdPTSkQD9AA2M3G0
Bidstrup, S. (2009, June 3). Gay marriage, the arguments and the motives. Bidstrup, retrieved online from http://www.bidstrup.com/marriage.htm.
Avert (2009, February 20). How many gay people are there? Avert, retrieved online from http://www.ask.com/bar?q=percentage+of+homosexuals+in+america&page=1&qsrc=2417&ab=0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avert.org%2Fgay-people.htm.
CNN (2009, May 6). Lawmakers approve same-sex marriage in N.H., Maine. CNN Politics, retrieved online from
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/06/maine.same.sex.marriage/#cnnSTCOther1
Nexis, L. (2009). Tennessee code and constitution. Tennessee.gov, retrieved online from http://www.michie.com/tennessee/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=main-h.htm&cp=tncode.
Lynch, K. (2009, May 31). Legalizing same-sex marriage benefits the economy. Examiner, retrieved online from http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-4107-Gay--Lesbian-Issues-Examiner~y2009m5d31-Studies--Legalizing-samesex-marriage-benefits-the-economy.
Channel 4, Nashville http://www.wsmv.com/video/18754401/index.html
http://tennessee.gov/attorneygeneral/op/2009/OP/OP73.pdf
Image received from: http://www.granbypdblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/image677810x.jpg
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