Upon releasing the preliminary quarterly (Q4) data of 2023, the United States registered a widespread decline in crime, regardless of city or county size, potentially the most significant one-year decline ever recorded.
In 2023, murder declined 13% relative to 2022. The previous largest decline in murder ever recorded was 9.1% in 1996. As for violent crime, the decline was 5.7%, and for reported property crime, 4%.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released quarterly data from just over 13,000 agencies that reported quarterly data through December. The Q4 data for 2023 cover 82% of the American population, up about 5% relative to the Q3 data. The FBI data is preliminary, as agencies still have time to report 2023 to the Bureau, with definitive numbers only revealed in October 2024.
