Fill in the blanks with the word/pair of words which best fits the meaning of each sentence. Since the _____ of violent crimes has not decreased in years, it appears that more ______ consequences are necessary for those who commit these awful acts.
Explanation: The consistent high occurrence (incidence) of crimes necessitates stricter (stringent) consequences. "Incidence" = occurrence, "stringent" = strict, fitting the context perfectly. "Frequency...stringent" also works, as mentioned in the explanation.
