PANDEMIC, BUT NOT IN THE DIRECTION YOU MIGHT EXPECT.
HERE’S MONICAAL BAUGH ALBA’S
WITH THE FBI’S
SURPRISING NEW REPORT.
>> Reporter: DESPITE
VIRAL VIDEOS OF
SMASH-AND-GRAB
ROBBERIES IN
DEPARTMENT STORES AND
SCENES OF CHAOTIC
THEFT AND VIOLENCE IN
MAJOR U.S. CITIES.
>> UH-OH.
UH-OH.
>> Reporter: CRIME FOR
2023 IN ALMOST EVERY
CATEGORY IS DOWN.
THAT’S ACCORDING TO
NEW DATA FROM THE FBI
THAT RUNS COUNTER TO
POPULAR PERCEPTION.
ACCORDING TO THE
GALLUP POLL, 77% OF
AMERICANS BELIEVE
CRIME IN THE U.S. IS
UP COMPARED TO A YEAR
AGO, BUT VIOLENT CRIME
THIS YEAR ACCORDING TO
THE FBI IS DOWN 8%.
WHILE THE AGENCY
DOESN’T SPECIFICALLY
BREAK OUT RETAIL
THEFT, PROPERTY CRIME
IS DOWN MORE THAN 6%
AND MURDER IN MAJOR
AMERICAN CITIES IS
DOWN 12.7% AFTER GOING
UP DURING THE
PANDEMIC.
>> WE HAD THIS REALLY
BIG SURGE IN 2020,
2021, AND IT STARTED
TO COME DOWN IN 2022.
>> Reporter: CRIME
DATA ANALYST JEFF
ASHER SAYS THE NUMBERS
SHOW EVERY CATEGORY OF
MAJOR CRIME, EXCEPT
AUTO THEFT, DECLINED
THIS YEAR.
>> Reporter: WHAT DO
YOU THINK EXPLAINS THE
GAP BETWEEN REALITY
AND PERCEPTION?
>> I THINK THIS IS
ONLY ENFLAMED BY
SOCIAL MEDIA, BY VIRAL
VIDEOS.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET
ONE INCIDENT HAVE
MILLIONS OF CLICKS
BECAUSE THIS TERRIBLE
INCIDENT HAPPENED.
>> Reporter: IT IS A
NOTION SOME REPUBLICAN
CANDIDATES HAVE SEIZED
ON.
>> NEW YORK CITY IS A
CRIME DEN.
CHICAGO IS A CRIME
DEN.
YOU LOOK AT THESE
GREAT CITIES,
LOS ANGELES, SAN
FRANCISCO.
>> Reporter: MURDER IN
EACH OF THOSE CITIES
IS ACTUALLY DOWN.
OTHER MAJOR CITIES
LIKE PHILADELPHIA,
DETROIT AND ATLANTA
SHOW EVEN SHARPER
DECLINES, THOUGH IN
SOME PLACES LIKE
WASHINGTON, D.C.,
MEMPHIS AND EL PASO,
MURDERS THIS YEAR ARE
ON THE RISE.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
ANNOUNCED MORE THAN
$200 MILLION FOR STATE
AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
TO HIRE 1,700 NEW