Violent crime in the US plummeted in first months of 2024, FBI data reveals

Decrease in violent crime accompanied by a major drop in murders and reported rapes, but many in US still believe crime rate is higher

Violent crime in the US dropped by 15% in the first three months of the year, new figures have shown, the latest evidence in a broader decline of crime across the country that has occurred over the past year.

The decrease in violent crime, from January to March compared to the same period in 2023, has been accompanied by a major drop in murders and reported rapes, which both fell by more than a quarter in the first three months of 2024, according to the new quarterly data released by the FBI.