After Rise in Murders During the Pandemic, a Sharp Decline in 2023

The country is on track for a record drop in homicides, and many other categories of crime are also in decline, according to the F.B.I.

Detroit is on track to record the fewest murders since the 1960s. In Philadelphia, where there were more murders in 2021 than in any year on record, the number of homicides this year has fallen more than 20 percent from last year. And in Los Angeles, the number of shooting victims this year is down more than 200 from two years ago.

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Homicides in U.S. set to drop by record numbers this year

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Why it matters: The findings appear to be at odds with Americans' perception of crime both in their communities and in the rest of the country. 

• More than three-quarters (77%) of Americans believe crime has increased in the U.S. since last year, according to a Gallup survey of 1,009 adults released last month.
• A majority (55%) also said crime was rising in their local area.