Crime articles

Track violent and property crime rates throughout the decades with local and federal law enforcement metrics, get data on illegal drug use, and see the roles jails and prisons play in the US.

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Crime
Homicides increased by 25% but overall crime rate fell in 2020

Violent crime and homicides increased, but crime continues to fall overall, according to FBI data.

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Crime
Firearm background checks: Explained

The checks are designed to stop people who aren't legally allowed to buy a gun, but gaps in the laws remain.

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Crime
How many guns are made in the US?

Federal data on guns and gun owners is limited, but the government tracks weapons made by licensed manufacturers.

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Crime
2020 has been a record-setting year for background checks, but other firearm data is incomplete

With no recent federal gun control legislation, firearm supply and demand both continue to rise. At the same time, firearm deaths have increased steadily for two decades.

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Crime
Police departments in the US: Explained

There are roughly 18,000 police departments in the United States. Here is how many people police departments employ, how those departments share policing duties, and what kind of oversight exists.

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Crime
What is the history of the death penalty in the US?

Death penalty statistics, including where capital punishment is legal or banned and demographics of people on death row

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Crime
One in four law enforcement agencies are reporting use-of-force data to the FBI

Law enforcement agencies including police departments and sheriff’s offices began voluntarily sharing the data in 2019, with the Chicago Police Department being the largest agency participating. The FBI says it needs more participation before it can publish the data.

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Crime
How much do America's biggest counties spend on police?

Local governments spent on average $340 per person on law enforcement in 2017. That represents 9.2% of all spending. But a closer look at budgets shows how policing priorities differ in counties with different demographics.

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Crime
The federal data available on active shooter incidents, mass killings and domestic terrorism

We explore the data the government has and doesn’t have on domestic terrorism and mass shootings.

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Crime
Wiretapping in 2018: a decrease in requests since 2017 as the focus remains on drugs

Federal and state courts authorized just under 3,000 wiretaps in 2018, down nearly 30% from the peak of authorizations in 2015.

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