Violent crime dropped compared to 2023 in major cities: Report

The Major Cities Chiefs Association released a report last week showing violent crime in most major cities has dropped overall year to year, even as crime remains a top concern.

The report , compiling crime statistics from the police departments of 69 major counties and cities from Jan. 1 through June 30, showed a roughly 6% drop in violent crime. The report examined statistics for homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.

Homicide is down roughly 17% year to year, while rape is down roughly 10%, robbery is down 6%, and aggravated assault is down roughly 5% during that same time period.

The report did not include data from the New York City Police Department, and data from the San Jose Police Department were only from January through May.

While recorded crimes are down overall, it is unknown if the drop is due to fewer crimes being reported or fewer crimes being committed. A January 2024 survey from the Pew Research Center showed that 58% say crime should be a top priority for Congress and the president to solve, up from 47% in 2021.

In Washington, D.C., crime levels surged in 2023 but appear to be cooling off. The report showed that three of the four categories of violent crime saw decreases through the first six months of the year, with the exception of rape, which was up nearly 7%. Crime statistics posted by the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia through Aug. 9 now show all four categories with a decrease year to year, for an overall decrease in violent crime of 35%.

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President Joe Biden celebrated the report in a statement over the weekend, arguing that "Americans are safer today than when Vice President [Kamala] Harris and I took office."

While crime statistics are down year over year, the Major Cities Chiefs Association noted that many figures are above pre-pandemic levels. The group said homicides are still up nearly 4% and that aggravated assaults are up more than 16%.