Homicide rate declines sharply in dozens of US cities, a new report shows

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 8:46 AM EST, January 22, 2026


Data collected from 35 American cities showed a 21% decrease in the homicide rate from 2024 to 2025, translating to about 922 fewer homicides last year, according to a new report from the independent Council on Criminal Justice.

The report, released on Thursday, tracked 13 crimes and recorded drops last year in 11 of those categories including carjackings, shoplifting, aggravated assaults and others. Drug crimes saw a small increase over last year and sexual assaults stayed even between 2024 and 2025, the study found.

Experts said cities and states beyond those surveyed showed similar declines in homicides and other crimes. But they said it’s too early to tell what is prompting the change even as elected officials at all levels — both Democrats and Republicans — have been claiming credit.

Adam Gelb, president and CEO of the council — a nonpartisan think tank for criminal justice policy and research — said that after historic increases in violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, this year brought historic decreases. The study found some cities recorded decades-low numbers, with the overall homicide rate dropping to its lowest in decades. “It’s a dramatic drop to an absolutely astonishing level. As we celebrate it we also need to unpack and try to understand it,” Gelb said. “There’s never one reason crime goes up or down.”

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/homicide-rate-decrease-cities-crime-b6fce2ee6c2169a6bb4aaf3e82bab032

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Link to Council on Criminal Justice PRESS RELEASE - Homicide Falls Sharply in Major U.S. Cities Amid Continuing Decline in Overall Crime

Council on Criminal Justice REPORT - Crime Trends in U.S. Cities Year-End 2025 Update

[Lonestarblue]

1. Many of these cities are run by Democrats whom Republicans frequently accuse of running crime-ridden cities.

The cities that saw increased crime rates are Republican cities like Little Rock with useless Governor Huckabee Sanders.

[groundloop]

2. Yet be assured that tRump and his toadies will take credit.

[Midnight Writer]

3. I wish articles like this would cite the actual numbers instead of "X% reduction".

They should also include previous years' trend.

I think a little context and giving us the actual data would give the reader a better understanding.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. Did you scroll down to the bottom of the report? There is a HELL of a lot there

For example, there is a link in the "Homicides" section for an Appendix that lists the actual numbers.

Homicide

Homicide is the unlawful killing of one person by another and is classified as murder or non-negligent manslaughter. Figure 3 displays the average yearly and six-month homicide rates in the 35 cities for which homicide incident data were available at year-end 2025 (see Appendix).

The Appendix has more data and if you scroll down that, there is a table (A2) with actual numbers and an option in the little "3 dots" circle in the upper right-hand corner, to forward the table, display the table full screen or you can copy the link in the forward arrow to display in "Tableau" (public version) - https://infogram.com/appendix-table-comparison-of-homicide-2025-1hnp27eqdxdrn4g

[hadEnuf]

4. Every Republican accusation is a cover up for the exact thing they are currently doing or have caused by their policies.

Biden was getting things done.

If we got rid of the right-wing media propaganda machine and only the facts were broadcast, the Republican party and MAGA would fall apart in a week.

[Bayard]

5. This was under the Biden administration

But I'm sure trump will claim credit.

[BidenRocks]

6. Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics!

Let's ask Americans how HAPPY they are!
It's hard to pursue happiness when ICE is pursuing you!

Life? Liberty?
Remember when?