Despite the Coronavirus directly affecting the world’s health, it also has impacted people indirectly, including a large scale economic recession and even a small scale uptick in roadkill. However, another horrifying way in which society has been negatively affected is crime. Crime runs rampant through our nation as people struggle economically, doing anything necessary to survive the dog-eat-dog world. As unemployment skyrocketed during COVID it became evident that in the concrete jungle, only the smartest, strongest, and most willing could make it out unscathed, leaving behind a broken society in crime-ridden shambles.  

Furthermore, it is not just a hypothesis that crime is up because of COVID, it’s nearly a fact painted by the statistics of a broken society crushed by a nightmare, called Coronavirus. Most of the crime that has seen a shocking increase is gun violence. This summer compared to that of 2019, 27 of America’s major cities have shown a 53% rise in homicides. From January 1, 2020 – September 28, 2020, the amount of gun-related homicides, and accidental gun-related deaths sits at a sickening 13,641 losses which equates to 90% of all the gun-related deaths of 2019. In New York City shootings increased by 66.3% and the number of shooting victims has increased to 77.5%. The most alarming news of all is portrayed over the 4th of July weekend. 160 people were killed throughout the nation and 500 more were wounded by gun violence. By July 20, 2020, there were 310 mass shootings that spanned our nation. To put that into perspective all of 2019 had 417 mass shootings and by this October there has already been 518, and there are still over two months left in the year (SafeWise).

These terrifying numbers drawn from COVID all boil down to one human emotion: fear. Fear that if you don’t make a move someone will. People not only have to be afraid they are going to lose their job but now their life. “Here’s the thing about fear. It’s always there. Fear of the unknown, fear of facing it alone… Fear that those closest to you are the monsters. Fear that as soon as you slay one, there’s another monster waiting to take its place.” – Jughead Jones