Axios: America’s big crime decline

America’s big crime decline
 
A bar chart that shows the largest homicide declines among 66 major U.S. law enforcement agencies from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2025 to 2026. Newark, New Jersey, had the steepest drop at 64.7%, followed by Raleigh, North Carolina, at 63.6%. Memphis had the smallest decline among those shown at 43.7%.Data: Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA). Chart: Russell Contreras/Axios

Violent crime kept falling across many of the nation’s largest cities through June, with homicides down 17.2% from the first half of 2025, Axios’ Russell Contreras writes from a Major Cities Chiefs Association report.

Why it matters: The decline now spans two presidencies — falling under President Biden after the pandemic-era surge and continuing to drop under President Trump.

🧮 By the numbers: An Axios analysis of the organization’s survey of 66 large U.S. communities found drops in violent crime in the first six months of 2026 compared to the same period last year.

Homicides fell 17.2%.

Robberies dropped 16.6%.

Rapes declined 6.2%.

Aggravated assaults fell 5.7%.

Taken together, the four categories were down about 8.3%, for roughly 14,200 fewer reported violent crimes, according to the Axios review.

🔬 Zoom in: The homicide drops are striking in several cities that have struggled with high levels of violence.

D.C. reported 46 homicides, down 43.9% from 82 in the first half of 2025.

Homicides in Memphis fell 43.7%, from 119 to 67, and 38.3% in Houston, from 154 to 95.

Philadelphia recorded 83 homicides, down 27.2% from 114.

Trump often takes credit for the decline and links it to his deployment of the National Guard in cities such as D.C. and Memphis. Share this story … Explore the data.
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About michelleclarke2015

Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
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