Crime Victimization Holds Steady At Record Lows In 2014

There were no significant difference in overall violent crime rates between 2013 and 2014, which which data have just been released. Property crime fell to another record low.

From 1993 to 2014, the rate of violent crime declined from 79.8 to 20.1 per 1,000. The overall property crime rate (which includes household burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft) decreased from 131.4 victimizations per 1,000 households in 2013 to 118.1 victimizations per 1,000 in 2014. The decline in theft accounted for the majority of the decrease in property crime. Since 1993, the rate of property crime declined from 351.8 to 118.1 victimizations per 1,000 households.

From here quoting the Bureau of Justice Statistics most recent report on the subject.

One area where there was a statistically significant change in violent crime, however, was in the rate of violent crime victimizations experienced by Hispanics:

From 2013 to 2014, the rate of violent victimization for Hispanics declined 35% from 24.8 victimizations per 1,000 persons to 16.2 per 1,000 (table 9). With the decline, the violent victimization rate for Hispanics dropped below that for non-Hispanic blacks (22.5 per 1,000). This was a change from 2013, when blacks and Hispanics had similar rates of violent crime. No statistically significant difference was observed in rates of violent crime for non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics in 2013 and 2014.

Thus, violent crime victimization is down roughly three-quarters in the last twenty years, while property crime victimization is down about two-thirds in the same time period.

There is no consensus on why this is the case (although there are lots of plausible theories which are beyond the scope of this particular post).  But, clearly we are doing something right.  Anyone who tells you that we are facing an era of surging crime rates is just flat out incorrect.