The latest annual report from the FBI has revealed a mixed bag of crime statistics in the United States for 2022, with a notable decrease in violent crime but alarming increases in property crimes and hate crimes.
According to the report, the murder and non-negligent manslaughter rates experienced a 6.1% decline in 2022 when compared to the previous year, indicating a positive shift following the surge in violent crime witnessed in 2020. Rape saw a 5.4% decrease, and aggravated assault decreased by 1.1%. These declines are welcome news, especially in the wake of concerns about rising violence.
However, it is essential to note that while murder rates have decreased in the latest report, they remain elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels, with a 25% increase in 2022 compared to 2019. Additionally, there were concerning trends within the data, such as an 11.8% increase in juvenile victims of gun violence and a 1.8% rise in assaults on law enforcement officers.
Hate crimes also experienced an uptick, with the report showing an increase from 10,840 incidents in 2021 to 11,634 in 2022. Approximately 52% of these incidents were attributed to “anti-Black or African American bias,” though there were also rises in anti-Hispanic and anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes.
One of the most concerning findings in the report was the sharp increase in property crimes, which surged by 7.1%. This surge translates to approximately 1,954 property crimes per 100,000 people. Vehicle thefts notably contributed to this increase, with a staggering 10.9% rise, resulting in one million vehicle thefts in 2022.
Carjacking incidents, where assailants employ force or fear in the theft of automobiles, also saw an 8.1% increase. A majority of these cases involved the use of weapons, and over 25% of cases resulted in injuries to individuals.
Interestingly, these property crime increases coincided with reports of multiple car companies facing issues with their anti-theft systems, leading to recalls, notably in Kia and Hyundai vehicles.
The FBI releases these statistics annually in October, and while they do not encompass data from every law enforcement agency, this year’s report provides a more comprehensive view than previous editions. The report represents 83.3% of all law enforcement agencies and 93.5% of the U.S. population, compared to last year’s figures of 62.7% of agencies and 64.8% of Americans.
This year’s report reflects a more comprehensive participation by law enforcement agencies, with over 15,000 agencies contributing data, marking an increase of approximately 1,500 agencies since 2021.