Despite what your social media feed might have you believe, violent crime in the U.S. has been steadily declining.
According to new FBI data released on Monday, the country saw an eye-popping 11.6% drop in murders and non-negligent manslaughter, the largest single-year decline in 20 years. Rape cases also saw a significant drop, falling by 9.4%. Even nonviolent crime is declining: Property crime fell by 2.4% while burglary was down by 7.6%. Overall, the country saw a 3% decrease in violent crime from 2022 to 2023.
So why do we all still feel like crime is on the rise? Blame your social media feed.
But the numbers don’t lie — violent crime rates are the lowest they’ve been in decades. According to the FBI’s latest “Summary of Crime in the Nation” report, the violent crime rate dropped to 363.8 violent crimes per 100,000 people in 2023, down from 377.1 the year before.
So while it might feel like the world is getting more dangerous by the day, the data paints a much more positive picture. Crime is down, and if the early 2024 numbers are any indication, it’s continuing to fall. Maybe it’s time to log off and breathe a little easier.
