February 28, 2008, 1:53 pm

Citizens of the US in the 1970's were in shock at how the crime rate was increasing. In part, this was a demographic shift as a wave of young males more likely to resort to crime bulged through the system. But this chart showing the great release of mental patients onto the streets in the 1960's and early 1970's points to another potential cause we seldom hear people discuss.

Here are US crime rate stats:

