New FBI Data Showing Decline in Crime Mirror Brennan Center Analysis

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: January 23, 2018
Contact Details Below

New York, N.Y. –  The FBI today released preliminary data showing an overall decline in violent crime rates nationwide during the first half of 2017. The following statement is attributable to Ames Grawert, counsel for the Justice Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law:

“The FBI data released today mirror what we at the Brennan Center reported earlier this year: that rates of violent crime are on the decline. While preliminary, the FBI data contradict those who say there is some kind of nationwide crime wave. Nothing could be further from the truth. In recent years, we have documented a consistent downward trend of violence in most major American cities.

“Indeed, there are still communities that are struggling to reduce crime, but our research suggests that can be done through innovative community policing efforts, not through draconian ‘tough on crime’ policies currently being pushed by the Trump administration. The country has become a safer place as reform-minded policymakers have decided better policing and criminal justice reforms are smarter and mean sending fewer people to prison. That trend must continue.”

For more information on work by the Brennan Center’s Justice Program, click here.

To set up an interview with a Brennan Center expert, contact Rebecca Autrey at rebecca.autrey@nyu.edu or 646–292–8316.

###