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Poverty and riots

Posted at 2:15 PM on August 16, 2011 by Michael Olson (3 Comments)
Filed under: Crime and Justice

"These riots were not about poverty" -- Prime Minister David Cameron.

Unequivocal statements like Cameron's implore journalists to dig deeper.

It is striking when you look at the data to see the poverty rate of the neighborhoods in the UK where people were arrested for looting and riot-related activities.

The Guardian found:

• The majority of areas where suspects live are deprived - and 66% of them got poorer between 2007 and 2010, when the last survey was published
• 41% of suspects live in the 10% most deprived places in England

Poverty and riots are complex matters that shouldn't be viewed through the lens of a data map alone. But interacting with the Guardian's data map here provides another opportunity to think deeply about what unfolded on the other side of the Atlantic last week.

Comments (3)

//"These riots were not about poverty" -- Prime Minister David Cameron.

Who appoints the Prime Minister of the Uk, Prime Minister? What are the necessary credentials to hold that position?

Posted by Vivian | August 16, 2011 8:42 PM

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2011/08/does-excessive-welfare-spending-cause-riots.php

Posted by GaryF | August 17, 2011 7:27 AM

Hi Gary,
I think if you click on the links provided in this article by MPR-ie: the one that is in light blue type that says 'here' -you will find numerous articles on the roots of rioting.

It may take putting on a thinking cap mixed with analytical skills but you will find-hopefully-after reading several links written by Journalists who dug deeper than finger pointing and name calling some answers to what happened. The answers vary but none lead to the ROOT cause being excessive welfare spending.

Posted by Lucy | August 17, 2011 10:05 AM