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By the numbers: Murder rate drops for first time in two years

Getty Images

New FBI data released Monday found that violent crime and the national murder rate decreased slightly in 2017 after two years of increases.

Yes, but: Despite the dip, violent crime still plagues many parts of the country, and arrests are also rare, a recent Washington Post analysis of decades of homicide arrest data from 50 of the nation’s largest cities found. Meanwhile, last year’s murder rate is still 20.7% higher than the 2013 estimate, and 5% higher than the 2008 figure.

By the numbers: The 2017 national murder rate dipped by 0.7% from the 2016 estimate — down to 5.3 per 100,000 people being murdered in 2017 from 5.4 per 100,000 the prior year.

  • The number of rapes reported have increased by 2.5%. Richard Myers, executive director of Major Cities Chiefs Association, tells the Wall Street Journal that increase is in part due to the #MeToo movement leading more victims to come forward.
“It’s one of the most underreported crimes. I think as the public consciousness gets sensitized to the problem, we are seeing more people reporting.”
— Richard Myers
  • Reported cases of manslaughter and murder dropped 0.7% in 2017.

The FBI data relies on information provided by thousands of state and local police departments across the country.

Read more: Behind Chicago’s segregated shooting sprees

Go deeper

Hans Nichols, author of Sneak Peek
22 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Biden's latest executive order: Buy American

President Joe R. Biden speaks about the economy before signing executive orders in the State Dining Room at the White House on Friday, Jan 22, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

President Joe Biden will continue his flurry of executive orders on Monday, signing a new directive to require the federal government to “buy American” for products and services.

Why it matters: The executive action is yet another attempt by Biden to accomplish goals administratively without waiting for the backing of Congress. The new order echoes Biden's $400 billion campaign pledge to increase government purchases of American goods.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Margaret Harding McGill, Ashley Gold
1 hour ago - Technology

Tech digs in for long domestic terror fight

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

With domestic extremist networks scrambling to regroup online, experts fear the next attack could come from a radicalized individual — much harder than coordinated mass events for law enforcement and platforms to detect or deter.

The big picture: Companies like Facebook and Twitter stepped up enforcement and their conversations with law enforcement ahead of Inauguration Day. But they'll be tested as the threat rises that impatient lone-wolf attackers will lash out.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow
Marisa Fernandez
1 hour ago - Health

The pandemic could be worsening childhood obesity

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

The 10-month long school closures and the coronavirus pandemic are expected to have a big impact on childhood obesity rates.

Why it matters: About one in five children are obese in the U.S. — an all-time high — with worsening obesity rates across income and racial and ethnic groups, data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey show.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow

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