Council on Criminal Justice Reports 21% Homicide Drop in 35 Cities
Council on Criminal Justice says homicides fell 21% from 2024 to 2025 across 35 cities, about 922 fewer killings.
CNNHomicide rate declines sharply in dozens of US cities, a new report shows
NewsmaxMurders Plunge 21% in Major US Cities in Historic Drop
NewsmaxMurders Plunge 21% in Major US Cities in Historic Drop
Western JournalNYT: Murder Rate Hits 125-Year Low in Trump’s First Year Back in Office -- Biggest Single-Year Drop Ever
Overview
The independent Council on Criminal Justice reported a 21% decline in the homicide rate across 35 U.S. cities from 2024 to 2025, representing about 922 fewer homicides, the report says.
If forthcoming FBI nationwide data mirror the city trends, the 2025 homicide rate would fall to about 4.0 per 100,000 — potentially the lowest since 1900, the council said.
The White House credited federal enforcement and Operation Summer Heat for the decline, and Adam Gelb of the Council on Criminal Justice said pinpointing causes is "extremely difficult," the two statements show.
The council's dataset showed homicide declines in 31 of 35 cities, including 41% in Denver, 40% in Washington and Omaha, and a 16% increase in Little Rock, and it excluded Jackson, Mississippi, and Birmingham, Alabama.
Criminologists including Patrick Sharkey and Shani Buggs cautioned the declines can reverse and called for robust research to identify drivers, and the council said many cities recorded decades-low homicide numbers.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present the homicide decline neutrally, emphasizing data while foregrounding expert caveats and competing explanations. They quote the Council on Criminal Justice's Adam Gelb on uncertainty, Princeton's Patrick Sharkey on unpredictability, and note counterexamples, cities with upticks and rising drug offenses, avoiding causal claims.