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.

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Homicide and most other violent crimes declined in U.S. cities in the first half of 2023 but remained above pre-pandemic levels. Motor vehicle thefts continued to rise, with seven cities experiencing a spike of 100% or more.

Previous Reports

Researchers

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

Rosenfeld, Rick
Richard Rosenfeld 
Chair, CCJ's Crime Trends Working Group, Curators' Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri-St. Louis
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Ernesto Lopez
Research Specialist
Council on Criminal Justice
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Bobby Boxerman
Doctoral Candidate
Dept. of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri-St. Louis