New data shows US crime is down across the board

New data shows US crime is down across the board Advertisement Updated: 6:41 AM EST Nov 9, 2026 Editorial Standards ⓘ Susie Webb Data Visualization Journalist New data shows US crime is down across the board Updated: 6:41 AM EST Nov 9, 2026 Editorial Standards ⓘ Susie Webb Data Visualization Journalist Crime rates are dropping in the U.S., according to new preliminary data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Property crime rates fell nearly 20%, and violent crime was down about 10% from 2024 to 2025, per the latest data from the National Crime Victimization Survey. Advertisement The NCVS surveys U.S. households to provide a picture of crime beyond what gets reported to police. "There’s a dark figure of crime," said Thaddeus Johnson, Council on Criminal Justice senior fellow. "We know that all crime is not reported or known to police." Violent crime rates improve In total, about 7.5 million people were estimated to be victims of a violent crime in 2025. Nationally, that means about 25.7 out of every 1,000 people aged 12 or older experienced a violent crime like rape, robbery or assault. Homicides were not included in the NCVS. According to the survey, about 800,000 people were the victims of rape or sexual assault last year, down about 12% from 2024. Cases of sexual violence tend to be among the most underreported crimes to police. Simple assaults, which are attacks without weapons that result in non-major injuries, are the most common type of violent crime reported, accounting for about 70% of violent crimes reported through the survey. Excluding simple assaults, there was a 25% drop in all other types of violent crime. Property crime is down as well Nearly 15 million U.S. households were the victims of property crime in 2025, according to the preliminary NCVS data. That’s about 111 out of every 1,000 households. General theft — the unlawful taking or attempted taking of a person's property or money — was the most common, accounting for more than 75% of property crimes. Trespassing dropped 34% from 2024 to 2025, and motor vehicle theft dropped 29%. Why are the rates dropping? According to experts, there’s no one factor that is causing the across-the-board declines in crime rates. "Everybody can take credit, and nobody can take credit," Johnson said. CCJ recently conducted a focus group with leading crime scholars to assess the factors influencing the homicide rate, which has also dropped in recent years. The scholars found that six factors stood out: Community violence intervention programs A return to normal after disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic Increased law enforcement deterrence that targets high-risk individuals Increased local government capacity and social services Increased public safety and support resources Increased proactive police enforcement The White House has pointed to increased immigration enforcement and President Donald Trump's focus on crime — which included deploying the National Guard to several U.S. cities — as reasons for the drop. But scholars say there isn't strong evidence. "There is no evidence that the National Guard or immigration enforcement pushed the envelope when it came to reducing crime," Johnson said. Crime was already headed down in many cities before Trump shone a spotlight on the issue. While the DOJ recently changed its methodology for collecting the NCVS — which means we can't compare 2025 data to past years — over the past 30 years, crime rates have been trending downwards across the country. In 2024, both the old and new survey methods were used which does allow researchers to compare 2024 to 2025 using the new methodology. Make WLWT a preferred source on Google Add Preferred Source Share Infinite Scroll Enabled Top Picks Joe Biden to limit memoir promotion tour, says cancer 'slows me down' Police: Gunman who killed at least 6 people in Polish city square dies in hospital Coin flip settles a tie in a northern Kentucky election 'Little Rascals' star creates GoFundMe ahead of welcoming sixth child: 'No other choice'