Policy

Crime rates plunge to pre-pandemic lows

Several reports issued in recent days show homicide, burglary, robbery and motor vehicle theft rates declining.
A member of the Florence, Ky., Police Department moves yellow police tape to allow an engine to pass into the area where a shooting took place, Saturday, July 6, 2024, in Florence, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

The onset of the coronavirus pandemic brought with it a troubling spike in both violent and property crime in 2020, alarming criminal justice experts and setting the nation on edge.

Now, those crime rates are dropping just as fast, returning to pre-pandemic levels that are near some of the lowest ever recorded by state and federal officials.

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