FBI Report: Crime is Down, Not Up. Trump, Vance Undeterred

The FBI report for 2023, release on Sep 23, offiically confirms the drop in violent and major crime, even as Trump and Vance continue to claim the opposite.

The FBI has released its 2023 Crime in the Nation Statistics, and the data tells a clear story: crime is not up—it’s down. The detailed report covers more than 14 million criminal offenses reported by over 16,000 law enforcement agencies, representing 94.3% of the U.S. population. The headline figures are as follows:

• Murder and non-negligent manslaughter saw a notable drop of 11.6%.

• Rape offenses fell by an estimated 9.4%.

• Violent crime nationwide decreased by an estimated 3.0% compared to 2022.

• Aggravated assault decreased by 2.8%.

• Robbery barely changed but still showed a 0.3% decrease.

The FBI also reported a slight decline in hate crimes, with incidents decreasing by 0.6%. These statistics are based on comprehensive data submitted through the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, which includes contributions from state, county, city, university, and tribal law enforcement agencies.

Trump, Vance Untethered from the FBI’s Reality

But despite these clear trends, former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance continue to assert that crime is skyrocketing. Trump has used various public appearances to claim that major cities are descending into “anarchy,” using fear-based rhetoric to suggest a crime wave is engulfing America. Vance has echoed similar sentiments, repeatedly describing crime as a worsening problem in his campaign messaging.

Fear-based politics appears to remain a potent tool, and one that Trump is willing to exploit shamelessly. Yet the facts tell a different story—one of decreasing violence and a concerted effort by law enforcement agencies across the country to keep communities safe.

The complete analysis can be found on the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer.