The homicide rate in the United States last year dropped more in a single year than it ever has in recorded history.
By quite a bit, too. There were about 13% fewer homicides in the U.S. in 2023 compared with 2022, according to early estimates of crime data. The previous record was a 9% drop in 1996. That means 2,000 fewer people were killed last year, compared with the year before.
“What’s more, every type of [serious crime] with the exception of auto theft is likely down a considerable amount this year [2023] relative to last year [2022],” writes Jeff Asher, co-founder of AH Datalytics, which tracks crime data in 180 cities.
