US crime dropped widely in 2024, FBI says — with some notable caveats

U.S. crime rates dropped significantly in every major category in 2024, according to a new report released by the FBI on Tuesday — with measurable drops in violent crime, robberies, assaults and robberies with a firearm, and other major categories.

The numbers were part of the FBI’s annual Unified Crime Report, a report released by the bureau each year. And despite the overwhelmingly positive findings, the report did underscore a sobering uptick in attacks on law enforcement officers in the line of duty over the last four years. 

This year's report used data shared by roughly 16,675 law enforcement agencies across the U.S., accounting for nearly 96% of U.S. residents, the FBI said.

The majority of the trends from the new report were positive. Violent crime decreased by 4.5% in 2024 compared to the previous 12-m...