'Overall crime decreased in 2020' in the United States, report finds

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:
Daniel W. Drezner
@dandrezner
“There seems to be a hysteria that began about a year and half ago to try and convince Americans that we’re undergoing another crime wave. At a certain point, we just wanted to look at what the actual data was. And it doesn’t bear up.” https://nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/overall-crime-decreased-2020-united-states-report-finds-n1278938…
Image
5:13 AM · Sep 12, 2021

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/overall-crime-decreased-2020-united-states-report-finds-n1278938

WASHINGTON — After crime rates in the United States surged in the second half of the 20th century, moderate Democrats persuaded the party to toughen up its platform in the 1990s to channel widespread voter concerns spreading from big cities to the suburbs.

But today, as Republicans revive familiar warnings about out-of-control crime in pursuit of regaining power, the prominent moderate Democratic group Third Way has a different message for the party: Don’t take the bait; it’s a lie.

A new report by Third Way digs into the numbers and concludes: “Contrary to the media narrative, overall crime decreased in 2020 compared to 2019.”

The study shows that homicides went up last year, but found that category to be an outlier.

The paper explores crime rates in the 22 states and the District of Columbia, which submitted and published full data. They cover a broad mix from deep-red states like Nebraska and Tennessee to swing states like Wisconsin and Florida to liberal New York and D.C.

*snip*

[secondwind]

1. This could just be pandemic-related.

[Johnny2X2X]

2. This will be ignored

And the data from 2021 is not yet in, but I’d bet the murder rate goes down. Happens a lot of years, incomplete data gets leaked and people get hysterical thinking there’s a wave of crime when there isn’t.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. Huh.

[underpants]

4. Shark attacks in the summer of 2001

We’re down but dominated the news.

[SWBTATTReg]

5. Another republican lie, perhaps laid to rest now? I think that I will never, ever, trust anything

that any republican ever says about anything anymore, e.g.:

-crime wave, crime wave! What crime wave?

-deficits, deficits! You mean the $6 trillion dollars trump and republican-controlled Congress spent in his four years?

-huge caravans of illegals are racing to the U.S. borders? Where? I still haven't seen anything on TV about thousands and thousands of illegal immigrants crossing the borders, perhaps some, but certainly not near as many as republicans were harping about several months ago.

-reducing funding for our Police, what reduced spending? If anything, dollar numbers (like everything else) are continuing to go up.

-the stock markets will crash and burn if Mr. Biden is elected! Really? From what I see, the markets are doing pretty damn good. Fundamentals drive the markets, not political garbage as republicans are so fond of spewing out, that's loaded w/ half truths and lies every step of the way. If anything, more and more people are turning away from the perpetual party of liars (and worse if one keeps on top of the news) and are listening instead, to calm, reasonable, and rational discussion of pertinent issues related to all of us, not this so called red button issues that republicans have pushed without restraint over the last four + years.

-list could go on and on...

[Tomconroy]

6. I think it's violent crime that has gone up.

[Elessar Zappa]

8. Maybe but

violent crime is still not near the levels it was at in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

[Polybius]

7. One reason could be cameras

They are everywhere, even on doorbells. You would have to be stupid to steal a package or break into a home or business these days.

[demtenjeep]

9. um

people were in their homes

[Earth-shine]

10. LOL! Hence the increase in homicide but decrease in every other category.

[brush]

11. Well, duh. Of course crime was down in 2020. People were...

shut inside because of the pandemic...criminals too.

[wellst0nev0ter]

12. Homicides are still up, and you can't hide the bodies

Trump Crime Wave still stands.

[Ka-Dinh Oy]

13. I thought there was an increase of spousal abuse during the pandemic?

Unless that is not considered a crime.