CT Real Estate Investment Trust (CRT.UN:CA) Shareholder/Analyst Call Prepared Remarks Transcript – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
Violent crime rates have fallen sharply across America’s largest cities in the first months of 2026. The decline builds on reductions that began after the pandemic-era spike and now extends into new territory. Data compiled from dozens of major police departments show consistent drops in homicides, robberies, and other serious offenses. Public concern about safety has not eased at the same pace.
Record Declines in Key Categories
Figures released by the Major Cities Chiefs Association cover 67 large law enforcement agencies. Homicides fell 17.7 percent in the first quarter compared with the same period in 2025. Robberies dropped 20.4 percent, while rapes declined 7.2 percent and aggravated assaults decreased 4.8 percent.
Year-end 2025 data from the Council on Criminal Justice reinforce the pattern. Homicides across 35 tracked cities fell 21 percent from 2024 levels, the largest single-year drop on record. If national trends hold, the U.S. homicide rate could reach roughly four per 100,000 residents, the lowest level in more than a century.
Perception Gap Persists
Despite the measurable improvements, surveys show many Americans still believe crime is rising. A Council on Criminal Justice analysis found that the share of people who fear walking alone at night has stayed near 35 percent for nearly two decades. Actual violent crime rates have moved in the opposite direction during that span.
National data for 2024 already showed violent offenses down nearly 5 percent and property crimes down 9 percent. The gap between lived experience in many neighborhoods and broader public sentiment remains wide.
City-Level Examples
Several major cities posted especially steep reductions. Chicago recorded 417 homicides in 2025, down from 587 the prior year. Columbus, Ohio, saw drops across every violent category, including a sharp fall in reported rapes. New York City reported its lowest number of murders in the first quarter of 2026 in recorded history.
These local results align with broader federal statistics that track offenses reported to police. Property crime also continued to ease in many jurisdictions, reaching levels not seen in decades in some places.
| Offense | Change in 2025 |
|---|---|
| Homicides | -21% |
| Robberies | -23% |
| Aggravated assaults | -9% |
Looking Ahead
Continued declines would mark one of the safest periods in modern U.S. history. Law enforcement agencies credit sustained focus on targeted enforcement and community partnerships for the progress. Analysts note that full national figures for 2025 will arrive later this year from the FBI and Bureau of Justice Statistics.
The current trajectory suggests cities can build on these gains if the patterns hold through the remainder of 2026.