News

Crime Rates Dropped to All-Time Lows in 2025

Sammy Nishihama, Co-Editor-In-Chief

February 12, 2026

Homicide rates in four major cities; data shows the spike in 2021 and the decline going into 2025 (Source: New York Times)

In the last few years, crime levels in the United States have been significantly declining in multiple areas. In 2025, however, many crimes have reached an all-time low, including violent crimes.

One study, reported on by the Council of Criminal Justice, looked at 40 major cities in the U.S., including (but not limited to) Baltimore, Los Angeles, Raleigh, Lincoln, Boston, Chicago, Salt Lake City, and more. Across these cities, the study looked at changes in crime rates from 2024 to 2025, as well as from 2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic) to 2025.

The study found that overall, violent crime was at or below levels in 2019. “There were 25% fewer homicides in the study cities in 2025 than in 2019. Aggravated assault (-6%), gun assault (-13%), sexual assault (-4%), domestic violence (-19%), robbery (-36%), and carjacking (-29%) also were lower in 2025 than in 2019,” said Ernesto Lopez and Bobby Boxerman, the two authors of the study’s summary.

Additionally, this study also showed that the lethality of violent crimes from these cities decreased significantly. Lethality, defined as the number of violent crimes that resulted in a death, decreased by 8% in 18 of the sample cities from 2024 to 2015, and it decreased 5% from 2019 to 2025. “Cities with the highest pre-pandemic homicide levels experienced the largest drop in lethality from 2019 to 2025 (-36%),” said Lopez and Boxerman.

As for the cause of this massive decline, different sources attribute it to different things, but the general consensus is that crime levels have been steadily falling since the large spike in 2020. President Trump claims that it was his new immigration policies that caused this sharp decline in 2025; however, there is no evidence to support this, as data shows that crime levels were decreasing long before his second term in office and his immigration policies.

According to Meg Anderson of NPR, the prime reason we are seeing a decline in crime rates, specifically homicide, across the country is because of the surge we experienced in 2020 and 2021. “In 2020 and 2021, homicide rates surged across the country. So now that surge is coming down,” she said. She mentioned the wide array of socioeconomic factors that led to the initial surge in 2020, including financial and psychological stress. “As we exited those circumstances as a society, it makes sense that murders and other crimes would fall as a result,” Anderson said.

The recent decline in crime rates across the country looks to be a result of the spike the U.S. experienced as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Despite that initial spike, we are now seeing levels of all crime not only go back to where they were prior to the pandemic, but even decrease below what they were pre-COVID, according to the study reported on by the Council on Criminal Justice. The potential for this trend to keep going is strong; still, political factors in the US might impact that trend. Only time will tell.

Sources: Council on Criminal Justice, Time, NPR

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About the Contributor

Sammy Nishihama, Co-Editor-In-Chief

Senior Sammy Nishihama has a busy and exciting final year ahead. As someone who has always loved science, Sammy is taking AP Biology after completing AP Chemistry last year. After graduation, she plans to major in biology and intends to go into forensic science. “I really like science. I was sure that I wanted to do something in that field. And I also really like true crime and wanted to combine both,” she said. “Sammy is a really intelligent and empathetic person,” her girlfriend Naomi Gonzalez said.“She is probably one of my biggest supporters and helps me in so many different ways. She is also my best friend, and I am so grateful for that.” Outside of class, Nishihama likes painting, especially recreating pictures she finds online. She is also involved in the varsity golf team at Morro Bay High School and the theater department, where she participates in the costume crew, as well as is the club’s secretary. She shared that she really likes the community in her drama club. “It is a little chaotic, but I really think that brings us all closer together. And that kinda makes the club what it is,” she said. This is Nishihama’s fourth year in Journalism and her second year as an editor-in-chief.“I have written a lot of articles, but my favorite thing is helping people improve their writing,” she said. “It’s fun to see them being proud of their articles.” When asked what she likes most about the MBHS, Nishihama talks about the community. “I know almost everyone here,” she said. “I grew up with most of these people, and it’s nice to recognize familiar faces in the hallways.” Despite her many achievements, Nishihama has faced challenges too. “During my sophomore year, I struggled with anxiety and found it difficult to give presentations in front of the class,” she said. However, she was able to overcome them in her junior year and was able to handle them much better. Nishihama looks forward to enjoying her last year of high school. “I am just looking forward to having fun and making a lot of good memories because I am a senior and gonna be leaving,” she said. Her creativity and talent make her an important part of both the theater and Spyglass.