The Council on Criminal Justice reports that murders in the U.S. dropped by more than 20% in 2025 compared to 2024, marking the biggest single-year decline in American history! The report analyzed crime data from 40 large U.S. cities and found that homicide rates across the country were at their lowest level since 1900.
The study reviewed 12 other crime categories as well, including carjacking, theft, and drug offenses. In addition to the decline in murders, carjacking's fell by 61%, and shoplifting dropped 10% from 2024. Drug offenses were the only category to increase.
Richmond, Virginia recorded a 59% decrease in homicides, Los Angeles saw a 39% drop, and New York City reported a 10% decline. Atlanta police say the city murders started rapidly elevating in 2019 going from 85 in 2018 to 135 in 2019 and averaging over 150 since 2020. recorded fewer than 100 homicides (96) in 2025 for the first time since 2018. Experts cite factors like targeted enforcement, community presence, resumed court operations, and pandemic relief funding as contributors to the overall decline.
Others credit mass deportations of 2025.