ABSTRACT
An elementary school with hundreds of young children is placed on lockdown because a dangerous-sounding man has phoned the school office, making violent threats. Immediately, as vague details are posted on social media, parents and other citizens in the school district are suddenly fearful of what could happen. This worst-case scenario recently occurred at an elementary school in Rochester, New York. In this first chapter, the question is posed as to whether there is a crime problem in the United States. After answering this question, the chapter goes on to analyze the crime problem and set the stage for the other chapters in this book.
