For a more fair and effective justice system and safer communities, timely, accurate, and complete crime data is essential. An updated report on crime trends from the Council on Criminal Justice shows yearly and monthly rates of reported crime for violent, property, and drug offenses in 40 American cities. The report found a decline and homicide and violent crimes, which have dropped below levels from before the COVID-19 pandemic. They note that data is often collected and reported differently from city to city, leading to challenges to accurate reporting. Better data could better inform decisionmakers and those who want to safely improve the justice system with practical and effective solutions.
