Donald Trump has made crime a focal point of his campaign, claiming that violence in America is on the rise. However, national data contradicts this assertion, showing that crime rates are actually decreasing in cities across the United States. Detroit Police Chief James White refutes Trump’s claims, stating that crime is not as rampant as described. In fact, Detroit has seen a significant drop in violent crime in recent years, with rates returning to levels seen in 2019 and a decrease in homicides to the lowest number since 1966.
National crime statistics, including those from the FBI, also indicate a decline in violent crime over the past few years. Despite this, the perception of rising crime persists among many Americans, fueled by local news and social media. Trump and his allies have further perpetuated this belief by cherry-picking statistics and questioning the validity of FBI crime data.
Experts agree that crime rates have fallen back to pre-pandemic levels, as evidenced by various credible sources of crime data. However, the impact of gun violence in the United States remains significantly higher than in other industrialized nations. For families like the Thornhills, who have lost loved ones to gun violence, statistics offer little solace. Despite the overall decline in crime, individual tragedies like the killing of Jordan Thornhill serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by communities impacted by violence.
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