Crime Rates Hit Low in First Half of 2024, Experts Weigh In

The FBI's recent data shows that crime in the US has kept falling in the first six months of 2024. Murders are down by 23% compared to the same period last year, while violent crimes fell by 10%. Rapes decreased by 18%, aggravated assaults by 8%, robberies by 14%, and property crimes by 13%. These numbers are likely to be closely watched by the campaigns of former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Crime has been a hot topic in the 2024 presidential race. Trump has focused on violent crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, even though some of his claims are false. He recently said that criminal offenders who entered the US did so under Harris and Biden’s watch, which isn’t entirely true. Harris, on the other hand, points to her history as a prosecutor. She has criticized Trump for his role in blocking a bipartisan border security bill. Both candidates are using these crime statistics to support their political agendas. However, experts warn that these preliminary figures might not be 100% accurate. The FBI relies on data from over 14,800 law enforcement agencies, but not all agencies participate. And the data doesn’t include figures from cities like Los Angeles. Jeff Asher, a criminal justice analyst, believes that while other data sources show similar trends, the FBI’s methodology might exaggerate the decline in crime rates. Last week, the FBI released finalized numbers for 2023, showing a 12% drop in murders and a 3% fall in violent crime. These reports help us understand the long-term trends in crime rates.