New Crime Numbers: Here’s How Pennsylvania is Trending
Crime is always a hot topic. Of course, everyone wants to be as safe as possible in Pennsylvania and beyond. If you have kids, then you really want to rest easy knowing they’re safe, too. So, it’s always good to be aware of where crime is in your area and the safest places to live. Well, a new crime report is out for the United States, and it’s surprising. The reason it’s surprising is because it’s the opposite of a lot of public perception. Let’s check out the new crime numbers in Pennsylvania.
Right now, more than three-quarters of Americans believe there is a higher crime rate in the U.S. than a year ago. Also, more than half of Americans say the same for local crime where they live, reports a recent Gallup poll. But, what’s the reality?
The reality is that the U.S. had its biggest annual drop in homicides on record in 2023, reports ABC News. “The homicide rate in the United States is expected to plummet nearly 13% compared to 2022, meaning more than 2,000 fewer people were the victims of homicide this year,” Jeff Asher, a national crime analyst, said in an interview with ABC News. Asher also details the decline, which is happening in both large and small cities, in his own report on Substack.
So, what direction are the new crime numbers going in Pennsylvania and, particularly, Philadelphia? ABC News did a review of preliminary crime data from the 10 largest U.S. cities. It showed that many of the “municipalities have seen double-digit year-over-year declines in 2023 homicides.” That includes “an 11% drop in New York City, a 16% decrease in Los Angeles, and a 13% reduction in Chicago.” They add that, “Homicides in Philadelphia, the nation’s sixth biggest city, have fallen by 21%, according to the preliminary data.” It’s so great to see a double-digit decline in homicide rates in our own backyard. Let’s keep it up and keep our streets as safe as possible.