Ignoring minor crimes such as littering and vandalism promotes a general air of lawlessness that fosters more serious crime. In addition, when people who commit these crimes are arrested, they are often found to have outstanding warrants for more serious offenses. Over the last 5 years, the Macropolis police department prosecuted these minor crimes that were previously ignored in order to reduce serious crime. For each of those 5 years, serious crime has declined in the city, a clear indication that the policy is working.
Which of the following, if true, would be LEAST likely to be used to dispute the Chief of Police's claims?
A. Some other cities have implemented an identical program without a corresponding drop in serious crime.
B. Illegal drug use — which is associated with high levels of serious crime — has fallen dramatically in Macropolis.
C. Most serious criminals are young men, and the proportion of young men in the population has risen.
D. A general upturn in Macropolis's economy has led to large decreases in unemployment, which in the past has led to reductions in serious crime.
E. Harsher sentencing policies introduced into the state 10 years ago mean that many career criminals are currently serving long jail sentences.