FBI Report Shows Violent Crime Rates in U.S. Drop, Approach Historic Lows

New data released from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reveals a significant drop in violent crime rates in the U.S. which are now reaching historic lows, according to an MSNBC.com report. The organization’s findings, released in the FBI’s Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report, represent a small decline in crime overall; criminologists, however, state that these drops are not a blip and are representative of a larger downward trend and the result of a “series of changes that have contributed to a more peaceful society.”

The findings are based on records from more than 14,000 law enforcement agencies across the country, and the following are some noteworthy statistics from the FBI’s annual report:

1. Instances of murder declined by 1.9 percent from 2010 figures.
   
2. Robbery, rape, and aggravated assault declined by four percent nationwide.
   
3. Property crimes dropped by 0.8 percent.
   
4. Motor vehicle thefts declined by 3.3 percent.
   
5. Instances of arson were down by five percent.
   

A criminology professor at the University of Maryland states that the drop in the nation’s violent crime rates is significant and is also fascinating because the expectation is for crime rates to go up in a weakened economy. The professor notes that the country is experiencing the lowest levels of crime since World War II, adding that a combination of factors, such as an aging population, increased immigration, and a more robust police presence across the U.S., have contributed to the historic decline.

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