The estimated number of violent crimes in the U.S. decreased slightly in 2021, according to statistics released by the FBI.
The figures from President Biden’s first year come as Republicans seek to make crime a major issue before the midterms, an issue that polls show voters give an edge to the GOP.
Violent crime volume decreased by 1% in 2021, from 1,326,600 in 2020 to 1,313,200.
The estimated number of murders increased from 22,000 in 2020 to 22,900 in 2021, a 4.3% increase. Rates of robberies decreased 8.9% from 2020 to 2021, contributing significantly to the decrease in overall violent crime.
Yes, but: Nearly 40% of law enforcement agencies nationwide, including the New York City Police Department and Los Angeles Police Department, failed to report their 2021 crime data to the FBI, according to data provided to Axios Local from a partnership with The Marshall Project.
That will result in a data gap that experts say makes it harder to analyze crime trends and fact check claims politicians make about crime.