Does the Down Economy Cause More Crime?

Is the economy "causing" increased interpersonal violence or is it a continuation of a national trend?
Some of the current news analysis and experts seem to point to the stress of the economic climate as the cause of rising violence. We've all seen the headlines:

Child abuse spikes as U.S. economy flounders
Economy may contribute to rise in family violence
Domestic violence, child abuse, may be on rise amid economic troubles
Economy Blamed For Seeming Spike In Murder-Suicide
Recession-hit US reels from violence surge
Domestic Violence Centers See More Activity As Economy Sours

My opinion, as an advocate, is that the economy is only one component in an environment that has "evolved" over the past 20+ years. Dissecting the problem and focusing only on money issues causes us to lose sight of the bigger picture, just as we debunked alcohol as a cause of domestic violence years ago. There can be many triggers - economic problems, substance abuse, etc.- but they are interchangeable not causal.
An individuals response to these triggers/ stressors is a reflection of a much larger societal problem. We have become de-sensitized due to an overwhelming onslaught of violence in the media, as entertainment and in our daily lives. To exasperate things it seems everyone has a "diagnosis" and complementary psych meds. Some are very real but I see many others that are diagnosed and prescribed just to cope in a sick society. Something is wrong with this picture. Our "collective conscience" has become that of a movie gangster with no regard for life, hence the trend continues...