I came across this piece a few weeks ago and it seems right to me.  Short story: since 1990, global homicide rates have declined by 20%--that's a huge decline.  You may not know it, but over the past few centuries there has been a substantial decline in "private" inter-personal violence (this is saying nothing about state-sponsored violence, of course).  And in the past few decades, it has been declining especially precipitously.  

Older people just don't get into as much trouble.  Or at least we don't get caught.  I doubt that's it, though--it's really about being more invested in stable things in the world, and needing more naps.

Anyway, it's not just about murder.  There's a whole raft of criminal behaviors we don't get up to quite so much as we used to when we were filled with vim and vigor.  In fact, a long time ago (twelve years ago, when I was in my thirties), a friend of mine, Mark Haas, wrote a piece about the "geriatric peace" (talked about in this article).  Demographics are not destiny, but they do offer a very interesting route into thinking about the future, and indirectly into thinking about the present.  That's what they do here, I think. 

Night night, everybody.  It was a rainy day here, and much too warm for January; positively clammy, in fact.  But tonight it seems blustery weather has moved in, and we're once again promised a windy, chilly day tomorrow.  Which would be just the best.  May you too have the best.