By Steve Neavling
Violent crime rates fell markedly in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year, according to FBI data released Monday.
According to the data, violent crime dropped 15.2% overall.
More serious crimes, such as rape and murder, fell by about 26%.
Aggravated assaults declined 12.5%, while robberies dropped 17.8%.
Non-violent crime also declined. Property crime fell 15.1% in the first three months of the year, and burglaries dropped 16.7%. Car thefts declined 17.3%.
Remarkably, the drops in violent and property crimes fell across every region of the U.S.
In a statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the new data “makes clear that last year’s historic decline in violent crime is continuing.”
“This continued historic decline in homicides does not represent abstract statistics. It represents people whose lives were saved — people who are still here to see their children grow up, to work toward fulfilling their dreams, and to contribute to their communities,” Garland said.
