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Crime Trends Reports - Council on Criminal Justice

CCJ began producing periodic crime trend reports in July 2020. Initial reports examined crime changes in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the police killing of George Floyd and the nationwide protests that followed. Subsequent biannual reports have expanded to include a larger number of cities and a spotlight on noteworthy trends in specific crimes, such as the dramatic rise in motor vehicle theft that occurred in 2022.

The reports are based on monthly incident-level data obtained from online portals of city police departments. Incident counts are collected within days of the end of the study period to provide a timely snapshot of crime across the nation. As a result, these figures may and often do differ from data subsequently published by the police departments and from other counts released later by the FBI as part of its national crime reporting program. For the most up-to-date information for a specific city, please visit its website.

Report Release

Homicide and most other violent crimes have dropped to or slightly below levels seen before the onset of the COVID pandemic. Mid-year 2024 analyses also show declines for 11 of 12 crime types compared to the first half of 2023.

Previous Reports

2023 Reports

Researchers

The lead authors for the Council’s crime trend report series are the late criminologist Richard Rosenfeld, Chair of CCJ’s Crime Trends Working Group, and CCJ Senior Research Specialist Ernesto Lopez. Additional analytical support was provided by Doctoral Candidate Bobby Boxerman.

Richard Rosenfeld, an eminent scholar who was a trusted resource for policymakers and an exceptional interpreter of crime patterns for the media, passed away on January 8, 2024. CCJ is deeply indebted to him for his contributions to our organization and the field.

Richard Rosenfeld - In Memoriam

Richard Rosenfeld

Chair, CCJ's Crime Trends Working Group, Curators' Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri-St. Louis

Ernesto Lopez

Senior Research Specialist, Council on Criminal Justice

Bobby Boxerman - Doctoral Candidate, Dept. of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri-St. Louis

Bobby Boxerman

Doctoral Candidate, Dept. of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri-St. Louis