Summary
In 2024, many U.S. cities reported historic declines in homicides and reductions in other violent crimes compared to 2023.
Cities like Philadelphia and Chicago saw notable drops, but some, such as Charlotte and Baton Rouge, experienced increases.
Despite these improvements, public perception of crime remains high, influenced by political rhetoric, media coverage, and local apps.
Experts note that gun violence disproportionately affects Black communities, impacting safety perceptions.
While intervention programs helped reduce violence, concentrated crime and rising shooting lethality continue to shape public unease.
I wonder if it has anything to do with a 24 corporate news cycle and social media that is designed to drive up viewership by sensationalizing every story and focusing on fear while either entirely ignoring or poorly representing actual problems in favor of whatever makes them more money with little to no regard for rigid fact checking or aggressively calling out lies when it is inconvenient.