In April 2023, CCJ launched the Crime Trends Working Group to continue the important work of grounding debates about crime and criminal justice reform in facts. Composed of 16 diverse leaders from academia, advocacy, law enforcement, government, and the public health sector, the Working Group’s mission is to explore and explain current crime trends while building consensus for significant improvements in the nation’s capacity to produce timely, accurate, and complete crime data.
In mid-2024, the Working Group released a set of recommendations to strengthen the nation’s crime data infrastructure and better equip policymakers with data essential to effectively address community violence and other crime. The recommendations proposed action in multiple areas by federal, state, and local agencies and called for increased appropriations to enable the Bureau of Justice Statistics to assume an expanded role in national crime data reporting.
Note: The late criminologist Richard Rosenfeld, Curators’ Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and former president of the American Society of Criminology, was the founding chair of the Working Group and the co-author of our crime trends reports. 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.
working group Recommendations
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CCJ’s Crime Trends Working Group reached consensus on recommendations to strengthen the nation’s crime data infrastructure and better equip policymakers with timely, accurate, and usable data essential to address community violence and other crime.
Publications
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Did Violent Crime Go Up or Down? Yes, It Did.
While the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting data showed a drop in the nation’s violent crime rate in 2022, data from the National Crime Victimization Survey showed that violent crime victimization increased. What does this discrepancy mean and why might it exist?
![](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Bulletin-4-1-300x300.jpg)
Meeting #4: Exploring Changes in Homicide and Motor Vehicle Theft Rates
In the Crime Trends Working Group’s fourth meeting, members reviewed CCJ’s latest crime trends report and discussed changes in homicide and motor vehicle theft rates.
![Report Release](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Report-Release-5-300x300.jpg)
Crime Trends in U.S. Cities: Mid-Year 2023 Update
Homicide and most other violent crime declined in American cities in 2023, but levels remain above those seen before the onset of the COVID pandemic and the widespread social justice protests of 2020.
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Meeting #3: The National Incident-Based Reporting System, An Introduction to Challenges and Solutions
In June, the Crime Trends Working Group convened in Washington, D.C., for an all-day discussion on the Justice Department’s infrastructure for reporting, accessing, and using nationwide crime trend data
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Meeting Bulletin #2: Developing the Crime Trends Research Agenda
In the Crime Trends Working Group’s second meeting, members discussed what research is needed to inform discussions on nationwide crime trends and identified initial topics for investigation.
![Illustration of a path ending in a question mark](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/CTWG-Bulletin-300x300.jpg)
Meeting Bulletin #1: Convening the Crime Trends Working Group
At First Meeting, Members Discuss Crime Trends, Data Challenges, and Goals
Working Group Members
![John Roman - Senior Fellow and Director, Center on Public Safety and Justice, NORC at the University of Chicago](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/john-roman-300x300.jpg)
John Roman (Chair)
Senior Fellow and Director, Center on Public Safety and Justice, NORC at the University of Chicago
![Richard Rosenfeld - In Memoriam](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Rosenfeld-Rick-298x300.jpeg)
Richard Rosenfeld (founding chair)
Curators' Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri-St. Louis
![Ruth Abaya - Attending Physician, Emergency Department, and Practice-Based Scholar, Center for Violence Prevention, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ruth-abaya-300x300.jpg)
Ruth Abaya
Attending Physician, Emergency Department, and Practice-Based Scholar, Center for Violence Prevention, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
![Thomas Abt - Senior Fellow; Chair, Violent Crime Working Group](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Abt-headshot-300x300.jpg)
Thomas Abt
Founding Director, Violence Reduction Center, University of Maryland; Senior Fellow, Council on Criminal Justice
![Delrice Adams - Executive Director, Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/delrice-adams-300x300.jpg)
Delrice Adams
Executive Director, Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority
![Jeff Asher - Co-Founder, AH Datalytics](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/jeff-asher-300x300.png)
Jeff Asher
Co-Founder, AH Datalytics
![Deborah Azrael - Director of Research, Harvard Injury Control Research Center, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/deborah-azrael-300x300.jpg)
Deborah Azrael
Director of Research, Harvard Injury Control Research Center, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
![Jamein Cunningham - Assistant Professor, Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, Cornell University](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/jamein-cunningham-300x300.jpg)
Jamein Cunningham
Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin
![Drew Evans - Superintendent, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota Department of Public Safety](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/drew-evans-300x300.jpg)
Drew Evans
Superintendent, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota Department of Public Safety
![Edgardo Garcia - Chief of Police, Dallas Police Department; President, Major City Chiefs Association](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/edgardo-garcia-300x300.jpg)
Chief Edgardo Garcia
Chief of Police, Dallas Police Department; President, Major Cities Chiefs Association
![Brandon Gibson - Chief Operating Officer, State of Tennessee](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/brandon-gibson-300x300.jpg)
Brandon Gibson
Chief Operating Officer, State of Tennessee
![Janet Lauritsen - Curators' Distinguished Professor Emerita, Dept. of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri-St. Louis](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/janet-lauritsen-300x300.jpg)
Janet Lauritsen
Curators' Distinguished Professor Emerita, Dept. of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Missouri-St. Louis
![Michael Nutter - Former Mayor, City of Philadelphia](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Michael-Nutter-headshot-square-3-300x300.jpeg)
Michael Nutter
Former President, U.S. Conference of Mayors; Former Mayor, City of Philadelphia
![Kathleen O'Toole - Partner, 21CP Solutions; Former Chief, Seattle Police Department](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/kathleen-otoole-300x300.jpg)
Kathleen O'Toole
Partner, 21CP Solutions; Former Chief, Seattle Police Department
![Fernando Rejón - Executive Director, Urban Peace Institute](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/fernando-rejon-300x300.jpg)
Fernando Rejón
Executive Director, Urban Peace Institute
![Lisa Shoaf - Director, Statistical Analysis Center, Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/lisa-shoaf-300x300.jpg)
Lisa Shoaf
Director, Statistical Analysis Center, Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services
![Keon Turner - Data Analysis and Reporting Team Manager, Virginia Department of State Policing](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/keon-turner-300x300.jpg)
Keon Turner
Data Analysis and Reporting Team Manager, Virginia Department of State Police
![John Buntin](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Buntin-Headshot-300x300.jpeg)
John Buntin
Project Director, Crime Trends Working Group
Working Group Liaisons
![Brian Griffith - Deputy Assistant Director, Law Enforcement and Technology Services Branch, Criminal Justice Information Services Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/brian-griffith-300x300.jpg)
Brian Griffith
Deputy Assistant Director, Law Enforcement and Technology Services Branch, Criminal Justice Information Services Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation
![Shelley Hyland - Senior Statistical Advisor, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice](https://counciloncj.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/shelley-hyland-300x300.jpg)
Shelley Hyland
Senior Statistical Advisor, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice
Press releases
About The Art
The banner design was created by an adult in custody designer in the Oregon Corrections Enterprises (OCE) Graphic Design program. The mission of OCE, in partnership with the Oregon Department of Corrections, is to promote public safety by providing adults in custody with work and training opportunities in a self-sustaining organization.