Donald Trump said recently that the United States has seen its lowest crime rate in 125 year. In the Oval Office he stated that the crime rate in America hasn’t been so low since 1900. This trend was attributed by the White House to Mr. Obama’s focus on law enforcement.
What do these numbers really mean?
News Verify analyzed federal crime statistics and spoke to experts in order to answer this question.
The FBI Data Measures
Federal Bureau of Investigation is the main source of statistics on crime in the United States. The FBI doesn’t calculate one single crime rate. It tracks violent crimes reported.
The following crimes are included:
- The term homicide includes murder as well as non-negligent manslaughter.
- Rape
- Robbery
- A serious assault
Each year, police departments from across the nation submit these data to FBI.
Is Homicide at a Low of 125 Years?
A recent study indicates that the number of homicides may be at its lowest in over 125 years. This would be a significant decline if confirmed.
Experts warn against making broad statements. Although homicides have declined sharply over the past few years, violent crimes of other types do not reflect a record-low 125 years.
The data shows a significant decline in murders. This does not mean that crime in general has fallen to a level unprecedented for a century.
What is the overall picture of violent crime?
The violent crime rate has declined compared with the recent spikes. The current figures show that violent crime is at its lowest level in many decades.
This is important. It is still not enough to say that crime has fallen since 1900.
Trends in crime tend to move through cycles. All of these factors play a part. It is still too early for experts to blame the decline on a single administration or policy.
