What latest FBI data shows about violent crime

Dan Flannery non-smiling headshot

BBC NewsDaniel Flannery, the Dr. Semi J. and Ruth Begun professor and director of the Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education, discussed the latest FBI data showing a 3% drop in violent crime from 2022 to 2023, including a 12% reduction in murders—the largest in 20 years. Despite public perception of rising crime, the FBI report highlights declines in rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

“We're getting better at understanding what drives violent crime, which tends to be a small number of people in a community committing repeat offenses,” he said.