Crime in the US fell dramatically in 2024
2024 marks a pivotal year for crime in the U.S., with historic drops in violence, although robberies and digital fraud are on the rise.

Photo of Maxim Hopman in Unsplash
Crime patterns in the United States are undergoing a significant transformation, with historic declines across multiple crime categories, according to the latest data released by the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program.
Official figures reveal an encouraging picture, demonstrating a sustained improvement in public safety nationwide.
Comparison 2023 – 2024
During 2023, more than 14 million crimes were reported nationwide, collected by law enforcement agencies covering more than 315 million people. Analysis of this data reflected a widespread drop in violent crime rates, with notable decreases in homicides, assaults, and sexual offenses. The trend continued in 2024, marking a significant turning point after years of security uncertainty.
Among the most significant findings is a 11.61% decrease in the homicide rate during 2023, representing the largest annual decline in the country's history. Measured per 100,000 inhabitants, the reduction amounts to 121%, reinforcing a trend of three consecutive years of decline in violent crime.
Other high-impact crimes also showed significant declines. Rape cases fell by 9.41% in 2023, with an even steeper decline of 25.71% in the first quarter of 2024. Aggravated assaults decreased by 2.81%, maintaining their downward trend, while robbery decreased slightly by 0.31%, albeit with a 1.41% decline in the first six months of 2024.
Regarding property crime, the report reveals a 2.41% decrease in crime, although with mixed results across categories. The most worrying figure is the 12.61% increase in vehicle theft, which was the only major category to register an increase. Authorities attribute this to organized criminal activity and vulnerabilities in automobile digital security systems.
On the other hand, digital crime continues to grow at a rapid pace. Losses from cybercrime reached $16 billion in 2023, representing a 331% increase compared to the previous year. The FBI warns that this type of crime represents one of the greatest emerging challenges for security agencies in an increasingly digitalized environment.
A decade of contrasts and recovery
Data analyzed between 2014 and 2024 show a decade marked by contrasts. While the early years saw modest increases in violent crime—especially between 2014 and 2016, when the homicide rate reached 5.3 per 100,000 people—property crime progressively declined thanks to improvements in urban planning, surveillance technology, and police tactics.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused a sharp spike in crime. In 2021, the highest point in two decades was reached, with 1.33 million violent crimes and a homicide rate of 6.9 per 100,000 inhabitants. Social instability, the economic crisis, and the reduction in community services were determining factors in this increase.
Since 2022, the country has shown clear signs of recovery. Projections for 2025 estimate that the homicide rate will fall to 4.4 per 100,000 people, the lowest level in ten years, accompanied by further reductions in property crimes.
A more secure future, but with new challenges
Experts and authorities agree that the decline in violent crime is the result of a combination of strategies: data-driven prevention policies, increased investment in public safety, community collaboration, and new technologies applied to police work.
However, challenges persist. The rise of cybercrime and the increase in vehicle theft highlight the need to adapt security approaches to modern threats, while traditional crime is on the decline.
For more stories like this, follow More Latin.
Sources: