On October 23, the FBI unveiled its latest crime data, highlighting a notable drop in crime rates across the United States from 2022 to 2023. While there was a decrease in serious violent crimes like murder and rape, theft of vehicles has spiked alongside a marked increase in shoplifting incidents.

In its annual report, “Summary of Crime in the Nation,” the FBI indicated that violent crime decreased by about 3% and property crime fell by 2.4%. Particularly significant were the reductions in two of the most serious crime categories: homicides and non-negligent manslaughter saw an 11.6% decline, representing the largest annual drop in two decades, while cases of rape decreased by roughly 9.4%.

Early indicators for the first half of 2024 suggest that this downward trend in crime is likely to continue, extending the post-pandemic pattern of reduced crime rates.

For property crime specifically, burglaries are projected to drop by 7.6%. In contrast, theft of vehicles increased by 12.6% between 2022 and 2023, and shoplifting incidents surged significantly, climbing from 999,394 cases in 2022 to 1,149,336 in 2023. These figures are reminiscent of pre-pandemic levels in 2019. The temporary closures of retail stores and the implementation of COVID-19 safety measures likely contributed to a reduction in shoplifting during 2020 and 2021, which may have impacted the crime rates seen in 2022.

It’s worth noting that public perception of crime often lags behind current data, especially in today’s world where social media, digital neighborhood communications, and doorbell cameras create heightened awareness of crime.

As reported by the FBI, the violent crime rate decreased from 377.1 incidents per 100,000 people in 2022 to 363.8 in 2023.

During his 2024 campaign, former President Donald Trump has sought to depict the U.S. as facing a crime wave. He labeled previous FBI data as “fraudulent” in a debate with Kamala Harris, claiming some cities were omitted from the reports. In reply, the FBI clarified that its 2023 report encompasses data from every city agency representing populations of at least one million residents.

Overall, the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) noted that 700 new agencies provided data in 2023, covering a population of over 315 million and accounting for 94.3% of the national population.