New FBI report shows violent crime is down nationally, but critics disagree

FBI crime statistics in Austin

A new report from the FBI shows violent crime in the U.S. is down. Critics of the report said it doesn’t show the full picture.

AUSTIN, Texas - A new report from the FBI shows violent crime in the U.S. is down. Critics of the report said it doesn’t show the full picture.

"Austin is a relatively safe city for a city of its size," St. Edward’s University Associate Professor Carsten Andresen said.

The FBI’s crime statistics pulled from Austin police show violent crime is down almost 8 percent from 2022 to 2023. Across the U.S., violent crime is also down almost 3 percent from the same time period.

"Violence is always a chance, but this is not a city that I think necessarily needs. I mean, you can always do better, but I don't think they need a specific fix for violence in the same way as other cities that you can see," Andresen said.

Tentative deal reached with City and Austin police

After months of back-and-forth negotiation, the City of Austin and Austin Police Association appear to have reached a deal.

As for property crime, the FBI said motor vehicle theft nationwide is up almost 13 percent.

"You may think of these as opportunity crimes, crimes that may turn into income. They also may be a sign of just reckless juvenile behavior sometimes, so it's hard to pinpoint one particular cause for this rise, but it has been something that has been started pre-COVID," UT Assistant Professor in the LBJ School of Public Affairs and Law School Jamein Cunningham said.

Overall, the FBI reported property crime trends down about 2.5 percent.

Critics say this report doesn’t show the full picture.

"This is just one snapshot," Cunningham said.

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The FBI only publishes data on crimes reported to law enforcement.

The National Crime Victimization Survey asks about a quarter million U.S. residents annually whether they’ve been a victim of a crime.

"Violent crime is based on what the police can uncover, but as well as the community and people engaging in reporting," Cunningham said.

In the 2023 report, crime victims said about 53 percent of rapes, robberies, and assaults weren’t reported to the police and almost 70 percent of property crime victimizations weren’t reported.

The NCVS 2023 report found no statistically significant evidence that violent crime or property crime is dropping in America.

Crime and Public Safety CrimeWatch Austin