FBI finds violent crime declined in 2023. Here’s what happened

WASHINGTON (AP) — Violent crime successful nan U.S. dropped successful 2023, according to FBI statistic that show a continued inclination downward aft a coronavirus pandemic-era crime spike.

Overall convulsive crime declined an estimated 3% successful 2023 from nan twelvemonth before, according to nan FBI study Monday. Murders and non-negligent manslaughter dropped astir 12%.

Violent crime has go a focal constituent successful nan 2024 statesmanlike race, pinch erstwhile President Donald Trump precocious claiming that crime is “through nan roof” nether President Joe Biden’s administration. Even pinch nan 2020 pandemic surge, convulsive crime is down dramatically from nan 1990s.

Here’s what to cognize astir nan FBI’s study and nan authorities of crime successful nan U.S.:

The numbers

Crime surged during nan coronavirus pandemic, pinch homicides expanding astir 30% successful 2020 complete nan erstwhile twelvemonth — nan largest one-year jump since nan FBI began keeping records. The emergence defied easy explanation, though experts said imaginable contributors included nan monolithic disruption of nan pandemic, weapon violence, worries astir nan system and aggravated stress.

Violent crime crossed nan U.S. dipped to adjacent pre-pandemic levels successful 2022, according to nan FBI’s data. It continued to tick down past year, pinch nan complaint falling from astir 377 convulsive crimes per 100,000 group to successful 2022 to astir 364 per 100,000 group successful 2023. That’s conscionable somewhat higher than nan 2019 rate, according to Deputy Assistant Director Brian Griffith of nan FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division.

“Are we looking astatine crime rates astatine a return to pre-pandemic levels? I deliberation a reasonable personification would look astatine that and say, ‘Yes, that’s what has happened,’” Griffith said successful an question and reply pinch The Associated Press.

Law enforcement agencies successful nan biggest municipalities successful nan U.S. — communities pinch astatine slightest 1 cardinal group — showed nan biggest driblet successful convulsive crime past twelvemonth — astir 7%. Agencies successful communities betwixt 250,000 and 499,999 group reported a flimsy summation — 0.3%— betwixt 2022 and 2023.

Rapes decreased much than 9% while aggravated battle decreased astir 3%. Overall spot crime decreased much than 2%, but centrifugal conveyance theft changeable up astir 13%. The centrifugal conveyance theft complaint — astir 319 per 100,000 group — was nan highest past twelvemonth since 2007.

The limitations of nan FBI’s data

The FBI collects information done its Uniform Crime Reporting Program, and not each rule enforcement agencies successful nan U.S. participate. The 2023 study is based connected information from much than 16,000 agencies, aliases much than 85 percent of those agencies successful nan FBI’s program. The agencies included successful nan study protect astir 316 cardinal group crossed nan U.S. And each agency pinch astatine slightest 1 cardinal group successful its jurisdiction provided a afloat twelvemonth of information to nan FBI, according to nan report.

“What you’re not seeing successful that number are a batch of very mini agencies,” Griffith said.

Other crime reports

The FBI’s study is successful statement pinch nan findings of nan nonpartisan Council connected Criminal Justice, which earlier this twelvemonth analyzed crimes rates crossed 39 U.S cities, and recovered that astir convulsive crimes are astatine aliases beneath 2019 levels. That group recovered location were 13 percent less homicides crossed 29 cities that provided information during nan first half of 2024 compared nan aforesaid play nan twelvemonth before.

On nan run trail, Trump has cited different caller Justice Department study to propose nan crime is retired of power nether nan Biden administration.

That National Crime Victimization Survey, released earlier this month, shows that nan convulsive crime victimization complaint roseate from astir 16 per 1,000 group successful 2020 to 22.5 successful 2023. But nan study notes that nan complaint past twelvemonth was not statistically different from nan complaint successful 2019 — erstwhile Trump was president. And nan complaint has declined dramatically wide since nan 1990s.

The FBI’s study and nan National Crime Victimization Survey usage different methodologies and seizure different things.

The victimization study is conducted each twelvemonth done interviews pinch astir 240,000 group to find whether they were victims of crimes. While nan FBI’s information only includes crimes reported to police, nan victimization study besides intends to seizure crimes that were not.

Because it’s done done interviews pinch victims, nan victimization study doesn’t see information connected murders. And it only captures crimes against group ages 12 and over.