(NEXSTAR) – The Federal Bureau of Investigation released a new trove of data Tuesday showing that the number of crimes in nearly every category continued to decline in 2023.
Violent crime in 2023 was down 6% from 2022, and homicides were down 13%, according to the latest FBI Quarterly Uniform Crime Report, which is based on data from 15,199 of the nation’s 19,152 law enforcement agencies.
“When we get the final data in October, we will probably see the largest one-year decline in homicides on record,” crime analyst Jeff Asher told NBC.
Among violent crimes, homicide had the largest decline, followed by rape (12%). Robbery and aggravated assault both decreased by 5%.
The largest decrease in reported non-violent crimes was robbery, with an overall decrease of 10%.
However, not all types of crime have decreased. The major outlier was auto theft, which increased by 11% overall, 38% in the Northeast, followed by 24% in the South, and 2% in the Midwest. The West was the only region with a decline (-4%). FBI data shows the biggest spikes are being reported in large cities, with non-metro counties even showing a decline in reports.
“In May 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy aimed at addressing the surge in violent crime that occurred during the pandemic,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “Since then, our nation’s prosecutors, investigators, and grant-making experts have worked closely with police departments and communities across the country to pursue repeat offenders and gangs that cause the greatest violence. Confiscate illegal guns and deadly drugs; make significant investments to hire more law enforcement officers; and fund evidence-based community violence intervention initiatives.”
President Biden also celebrated the report on Tuesday, taking credit for the drop in violent crime reports after the pandemic, which peaked in 2020.
“Families across America want the same thing: the freedom to feel safe in their communities. To know that their children are safe. My administration is making that a reality.” “The previous administration recorded the largest increase in homicides in history. My administration worked to fix that from day one,” Biden said in a statement.
Despite the president’s victory lap, polls at the end of 2023 reveal a different story when it comes to Americans’ perceptions of domestic crime.
A mid-November Gallup poll found that 63% of Americans believe crime in the United States is “very or very serious.” This is the highest percentage Gallup has measured for this question, 9% higher than in 2021.
Republicans are far more likely to say crime is increasing nationally, with 92% responding positively compared to 51% of Democrats.
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