Under attack in America: Rising crime should be a wakeup call for city leaders

Yes, it’s true that overall crime reports and especially violent crime appear to be down since 2022, according to city records. But while overall violence seems to be decreasing, the ultimate danger in a big city—murder—was the second-highest in nearly 20 years, a 15% increase from 2022 to 2023.

FBI crime data reveals that the recent decrease in crime is down from an all-time high in 2019-20, and has yet to even come close to the safety levels of the past 20 years. Also, while violent crime seems to have decreased, so-called “nonviolent crime,” which can include forced entry, purse snatching, arson, vandalism, and human trafficking, has been steadily increasing.

And these reported crimes might just be the tip of the iceberg. The Dallas Police Department now has a policy of ignoring 911 calls for theft, burglary, shoplifting, and hit-and-run accidents, instead requiring callers to fill out an online form. Common sense dictates that this will make crime victims less likely across the board to seek a police response.