Why does the public think it's going up? “There is definitely more disorder in cities than there was five years ago," said one expert. “People confuse disorder and crime."

Why does the public think it’s going up? “There is definitely more disorder in cities than there was five years ago," said one expert. “People confuse disorder and crime."

New FBI data confirms previous indications that crime in the U.S. declined significantly in 2023, continuing a post-pandemic trend and belying widespread perceptions that crime is rising.

The new fourth-quarter numbers showed a 13% decline in murder in 2023 from 2022, a 6% decline in reported violent crime and a 4% decline in reported property crime. That’s based on data from around 13,000 law enforcement agencies, policing about 82% of the U.S. population, that provided the FBI with data through December.

“It suggests that when we get the final data in October, we will have seen likely the largest one-year decline in murder that has ever been recorded,” said Jeff Asher, a former CIA analyst who now studies crime trends.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    70·
    8 months ago

    Why does the public think it’s going up? “There is definitely more disorder in cities than there was five years ago," said one expert. “People confuse disorder and crime."

    Nonsense. The public thinks it’s going up because crime sells soap. The media conglomerates know that the more their so-called news networks report on how scary everything is, the more their viewers will stay home and watch about it. And politicians are complicit.

    • spujb@lemmy.cafeEnglish
      241·
      8 months ago

      yeah cuz what is “disorder”? i don’t even have a guess at what that is referring to

      but i see media coverage of crime fearmongering all the time

      edit: and USA politicians are more than complicit. they are leveraging and amplifying this narrative intentionally because it is the right wing platform of choice this election cycle.

      • Not_mikey@slrpnk.net
        6·
        8 months ago

        I read it as homeless people, not actually a crime but people associate the two so much that an increase in one “must” mean an increase in the other.

        • spujb@lemmy.cafeEnglish
          61·
          8 months ago

          oh interesting that could be an explanation

          heartbreaking that that is the popular understanding. more people without homes = more criminals obviously! and of course the solution must be more police and enforcement! not more accessibility to homes that would be ridiculous. hashtag border crisis. (/s)