Violent crime decreased a lot in the U.S. over the years but Tennessee’s rates stayed higher, factors like aging, less drinking, more police, and economic changes helped, and aggravated assault is the most common crime there making up over 60%, according to the report of 24/7 Wall St.
U.S. Violent Crime Rate Drops Nearly 90% Since Mid-1990s Despite 2024 Homicide Increase
Violent crime has been decreasing in the United States for many years. The FBI reports that the U.S. violent crime rate, which includes robbery, homicide, and aggravated assault, dropped by nearly 90% from the mid-1990s to the mid-2010s. Despite a rise in homicides in 2024 the U.S. is still much safer than it was in the 1990s.
U.S. Violent Crimes Drop from 1.8 Million to 1.2 Million
From 1995 to 2024, the number of violent crimes reported each year in the U.S. went from about 1.8 million to less than 1.2 million. During this period, the violent crime rate reached its highest point at 684 incidents per 100,000 people in 1995 and its lowest point at 362 per 100,000 in 2014. This large decrease reflects significant improvements in public safety and crime prevention.
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Tennessee’s Violent Crime Rate Consistently Above National Average
The FBI also tracks violent crime rates at the state level, and Tennessee has consistently had higher rates than the national average. From 1995 to 2024, Tennessee’s violent crime rate was always above the national rate often by a large margin. Between 2000 and 2024, Tennessee was among the five most dangerous states in the country. This shows the specific challenges Tennessee faces in reducing violent crime.
Despite these challenges, Tennessee is safer now than it was in the 1990s. Tennessee’s violent crime rate was 13% lower than it was in 1995. This indicates some success in the state’s efforts to reduce violent crime over the years.
Experts Cite Aging Population, Lower Alcohol Use, and Economic Factors for U.S. Violent Crime Decline
Experts have identified several factors that likely contributed to the decrease in violent crime. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, these factors include an aging population, less alcohol use, more policing and incarceration, and various economic conditions such as inflation, unemployment, and consumer confidence. These factors together have helped lower the crime rate.
Aggravated Assault Dominates Tennessee’s Crime Profile, Making Up Over 60% of Violent Crimes
Homicide is the most serious violent crime but is also the least common and have never made up more than 1.5% of all violent crimes in Tennessee. In contrast, aggravated assault has made up over 60% of all violent crimes in Tennessee each year. This shows that aggravated assault is the most common violent crime in the state shaping its crime profile.
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