QningJun 21, 2023
Christopher Mims

In major cities across the US, murder rates are down by an unprecedented double digits in the past year.

Major outlets aren’t writing about it.

https://popular.info/p/us-murder-rate-declines-dramatically?utm_medium=email

US murder rate declines dramatically in 2023 — but you probably haven't heard about it

In 2020, along with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a dramatic spike in murders in the United States. This increase in lethal violence, understandably, was covered extensively in national and local media outlets. Yet, much of this coverage lacked critical context. While the increase in murders was significant, the overall murder rate remained far below its peak in the 1980s and 90s.

Popular Information
Jun 20, 2023 at 1:12pmWeb
Show threadChristopher MimsJun 20, 2023

Of course, it’s not just the past 6 months that have seen a huge decline in murder rates in the US.

Despite the epidemic of gun violence, our country is vastly less murderous than it was in the 80s and 90s

Show threadJerome (He/Him)Jun 20, 2023
@mimsical wonder how this chart compares to one of attempted homicide. IOW, is the drop in murders due to better healthcare or less shootings?
Show threadJonathan Kamens 86 47Jun 20, 2023
@jeromechoo @mimsical It's less violence, not better healthcare.
The decrease in violence correlates directly to when we stopped putting lead in gasoline.
Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead%E2%80%93crime_hypothesis
Lead–crime hypothesis - Wikipedia

Show threadJerome (He/Him)Jun 20, 2023

@jik I've heard about this! Absolutely fascinating.

@mimsical you're writing something about this right? 😄

Show threadChristopher MimsJun 20, 2023
@jeromechoo @jik lol, I wish! I have to stick to tech tho. So unless someone wants to try and explain this with tech...
Show threadRealworldrjJun 20, 2023

@mimsical sensationalize the negative, bury the positive

The Fox News effect

Show threadkechpajaJun 20, 2023

@mimsical This is very cynical to say, but did covid disproportionately affect murderers? Or put on hold the sorts of social conflicts that lead to people getting murdered?

I’d be very skeptical of the latter given what I’ve heard about covid and domestic abuse.

Show threadAlexandraJun 20, 2023
@mimsical It's the PERCEPTION of crime they talk endlessly about, not the actual numbers. Apparently perception is way more important.
Show threadlegraLeGraJun 24, 2023

@mimsical

This piece about decreasing murder rates (after a covid surge) across major cities in the US motivated me to look at this in context of my normal urbanist (envi justice) perspective.

NYC is doing better than the National avg.

Cuttings and Stabbings in NYC have roughly the same frequency as Traffic Violence Deaths. Shootings about 2-3x rate.

Still think not enough is written about the order of magnitude greater #TrafficViolence though.

#NYC

Show threadChristopher MimsJun 24, 2023
@atthenius pedestrian and cyclist traffic deaths are absolutely abhorrent and I need a “tech” angle as an excuse to write about them, if you know of any…
Show threadlegraLeGraJun 24, 2023

@mimsical

What does ‘tech angle’ mean? I love analysis and hate writing (much to by boss’ chagrin)

Show threadChristopher MimsJun 24, 2023
@atthenius as a tech columnist I have to find a way in to any story that’s about tech — either how it’s exacerbating or potentially solving a problem. Once I have that, I’d I can convince my editor, it’s off to the races and I get to dig pretty deep into a topic