The Unreliable Crime Rate Debate: Chasing Statistics in the Dark

The debate around crime rates is heating up, but are we really getting an accurate picture? The FBI changed the way it gathers crime data in 2021, which led to some major cities, where crime is more prevalent, missing from the statistics. This means we're only getting a partial picture of crime rates.What if we're only getting half the story? What if some jurisdictions are underreporting or delayed in reporting their statistics? Crime is a highly localized phenomenon, and national and state-level statistics can't provide the full picture. The FBI's changes to its data collection method have made it more difficult and time-intensive for local police departments to report their statistics.