US cities largely saw a drop in violent crime in 2024, yet many still feel unsafe

As U.S. police departments release preliminary or finalized 2024 crime numbers, many are reporting historic declines in homicides and drops in other violent crimes compared to 2023. In many parts of the country, though, those decreases don’t match the public perception.

Experts say most cities are seeing a drop in crime levels that spiked during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. But they say misleading campaign rhetoric in the run-up to the November elections and changes in how people interpret news about crime have led to a perception gap.

New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Houston, Detroit, Baltimore, and dozens of other cities have reported drops in homicides last year compared to 2023. Some saw small decreases, including New York, which had 14 fewer homicides than the 391 reported in 2023. But others had large decreases, including Philadelphia, which had 255 in 2024 compared to 398 in 2023.

Full story: US cities largely saw a drop in violent crime in 2024, yet many still feel unsafe

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