New report points to homicide rate declines in US cities after pandemic-era spike

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Homicides are declining in a cross-section of American cities, though their numbers remain higher than before the coronavirus pandemic took hold. That is according to a new report analyzing data from 30 U.S. cities. Homicides on average dropped 9.4% during the first half of 2023 as compared to the same period last year, the nonpartisan Council on Criminal Justice found. The homicide rate was still 24% higher than it was in 2019, though, and motor vehicle thefts were up sharply. Experts say the report doesn’t capture the full country, but offers a useful snapshot at a time when the picture of national crime from data collected by the FBI is hazy.