After Surge During Pandemic, Homicides Fall Significantly

New York Times

3 days ago

Homicides in the United States have continued to fall sharply this year, according to a new analysis published Thursday by the Council on Criminal Justice, a nonprofit policy research organization, based on data from more than three dozen American cities.
If the trend continues for the remainder of the year, the United States could post a third straight year of record declines in homicides.
Homicides in major cities
Total homicides over the previous 12 months, by month
Chicago
Philadelphia
800
600
400
501 homicides
from July '24
to June '25
200
253
Jan. '19
June '25
Jan. '19
June '25
St. Louis
Baltimore
400
200
176
119
Jan. '19
June '25
Jan. '19
June '25
Detroit
San Antonio
400
200
206
115
Jan. '19
June '25
Jan. '19
June '25
Chicago
Philadelphia
Baltimore
800
600
400
501 homicides
from July 2024 to June 2025
253
176
200
2019
2021
2023
2025
2019
2021
2023
2025
2019
2021
2023
2025
St. Louis
Detroit
San Antonio
800
600
400
206
200
119
115
2019
2021
2023
2019
2021
2023
2025
2019
2021
2023
2025
2025
Source: Council on Criminal Justice
By The New York Times
In fact, the new analysis suggests that the broad crime surge that took place during the pandemic has largely reversed itself. Of 13 categories of crimes that the council tracks, only one — car theft — remains higher than in 2019, the year before the pandemic. But the council's study is limited to a sampling of 42 American cities whose police departments release data on a timely basis, and for which it can make comparisons to crime levels just before the pandemic. The smallest city in the study is Cary, N.C., and the largest is New York City.
The findings of the council's study through the first six months of this year largely align with other private sources of data that offer clues to national trends about crime. The F.B.I. has typically provided official nationwide crime data once a year. It last released nationwide statistics in September 2024.
Murders in the United States
Total murders over the previous 12 months, by month
12,000
10,000
8,000
7,551 murders
from June '24 to May '25
6,000
4,000
2,000
2019
2021
2023
2025
12,000
10,000
8,000
7,551 murders
from June 2024 to May 2025
6,000
4,000
2,000
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Note: Chart represents sample of 421 police agencies with available data.
Source: Real-Time Crime Index
By The New York Times
Other crimes in the United States
Total reported incidents over the previous 12 months, by month
Robberies
100,000
109,253 robberies
from June '24 to May '25
2019
2021
2023
2025
Aggravated assaults
400,000
300,000
343,137 assaults
from June '24 to May '25
200,000
100,000
2019
2021
2023
2025
Motor vehicle theft
500,000
400,000
397,814 auto thefts
from June '24 to May '25
300,000
200,000
100,000
2019
2021
2023
2025
Robberies
Aggravated assaults
Motor vehicle thefts
500,000
400,000
397,814 thefts
343,137 assaults
300,000
200,000
100,000
109,253 robberies
from June 2024 to May 2025
2019
2021
2023
2019
2021
2023
2025
2025
2019
2021
2023
2025
Note: Chart on robberies show a sample of 417 police agencies, aggravated assaults show a sample of 414 agencies, and motor vehicle thefts show a sample of 417 agencies.
Source: Real-Time Crime Index
By The New York Times
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