US homicide rate heading to new historic low. Experts are not sure why
Violence In America,Crime,Violent Crime,Murders,Public Safety
From the Center
AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center
Crime rates across major U.S. cities have plummeted in 2026, with homicides on track to hit their lowest level since record-keeping began in 1900, according to a report released Thursday by the independent Council on Criminal Justice.
Researchers told Straight Arrow there is no single explanation — or consensus — for why crime is falling so dramatically. Notably, crime rates dropped across the country, regardless of location, population size or local politics.
"It was a good surprise," Ernesto Lopez, the report's co-author, told Straight Arrow.
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