Violent crime has dropped considerably in the first few months of 2024 compared to the same period last year, according to statistics released Monday by the FBI.
Crime reports for the first quarter of the year showed a 15 percent drop in violent crimes overall, including a 13 percent drop in aggravated assaults.
Serious violent crimes, such as murder and rape, decreased by about 26%.
The numbers were a victory for the Biden administration, which sought to highlight the drop as the Republican Party focuses on crime ahead of the 2024 elections.
“These data make clear that last year’s historic decline in violent crime continues,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement along with the crime report.
“When I became attorney general more than three years ago, we knew that addressing the violent crime that emerged at the start of the pandemic would be one of the greatest challenges we would face at the Department of Justice. That’s why we invest all available resources in working with our law enforcement and community partners to reduce violent crime.”
Other serious crimes also decreased in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2023.
Theft decreased by 18% and property crimes decreased by 15%.
Garland said the drop was the result of a serious investment in fighting crime.
“We know there is much more work to do and that the progress we have seen could easily disappear. Therefore, we will continue to use our technological and judicial resources to identify and prosecute the main drivers of gun violence,” he said.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
