The FBI has confirmed that the US murder rate dropped by more than 11% from 2022 to 2023, the largest single-year decline in two decades. The audited data, released on Monday, also shows a 3% decrease in overall violent crime nationwide, contradicting claims by Donald Trump that crime is rampant under the current administration.
The annual Crime in the Nation summary reveals that rape fell by an estimated 9.4%, property crime dropped 2.4%, and burglary decreased by 7.6%. However, car theft rose by 12.6%, and shoplifting returned to pre-pandemic levels, with 1.15 million cases reported in 2023 compared to 999,394 in 2022.
The FBI noted that its estimates include data from every city agency covering populations of one million or more, undermining Republican assertions that the figures are skewed by excluding major cities. The data, sourced from the National Incident-Based Reporting System, covers over 315 million people, or 94.3% of the US population.
Separately, the Biden administration highlighted its efforts to reduce gun violence, with Vice-President Kamala Harris stating she is committed to ensuring freedom from gun violence. The White House noted that firearms are used in about 80% of US murders.
