While firearms were used in over 77% of murders last year, the full picture of crime in America is a complex tapestry where a slight decrease in the national murder rate intertwines with a troubling rise in drug overdoses, cyberattacks, and fraud.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the FBI reported 21,156 murders and nonnegligent manslaughters in the United States, marking a 0.4% increase from 21,083 in 2021.
- The national murder rate in the US was 6.3 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022, down slightly from 6.8 in 2021.
- Firearms were used in 77.5% of all murders in the United States in 2022 according to FBI data.
- In 2022, burglaries decreased 1.7% nationally to 539,936 offenses per FBI UCR.
- Burglary rate was 132.2 per 100,000 in 2022, lowest since 1960.
- Residential burglaries made up 62% of all burglaries in 2022 FBI data.
- Drug possession arrests totaled 367,642 in 2022, down from prior years.
- Drug abuse violations led to 1,293,369 arrests in 2019 pre-pandemic peak.
- Marijuana possession arrests were 88% of drug possession arrests historically.
- Fraud offenses reported 929,053 in 2022, up significantly.
- Embezzlement arrests: 15,000 in 2022 FBI data.
- Forgery and counterfeiting: 43,000 arrests in 2022.
- Cybercrime costs projected $10.5 trillion annually by 2025 Cybersecurity Ventures.
- Ransomware attacks 493 million worldwide in 2023 IBM.
- Data breaches exposed 422 million records in first half 2023.
The blog post details 2022 crime statistics, showing mixed trends with high gun violence and rising fraud.
Cyber Crimes
1Cybercrime costs projected $10.5 trillion annually by 2025 Cybersecurity Ventures.
Verified2Ransomware attacks 493 million worldwide in 2023 IBM.
Verified3Data breaches exposed 422 million records in first half 2023.
Verified4Phishing responsible for 36% of breaches per Verizon DBIR 2023.
Directional5DDoS attacks 15.4 million in 2022, up 238% from 2021.
Single source6Cryptojacking incidents 69% of malware attacks 2023.
Verified7Business email compromise losses $2.9 billion 2021-2022 FBI IC3.
Verified8Tech support scams: 82,000 complaints, $910 million loss 2022 IC3.
Verified9Investment fraud: 69,000 complaints, $3.9 billion loss 2022 IC3.
Directional10Cryptocurrency scams topped $3 billion loss 2022 IC3.
Single source11800,000+ cybercrime complaints to IC3 in 2022.
Verified12Average BEC scam $120,000 loss per incident FBI.
Verified13Dark web monitoring detects 500,000 new threats daily.
Verified14Botnets control 1 million devices for DDoS per Akamai.
Directional15Zero-day exploits used in 25% of intrusions Mandiant 2023.
Single source16Supply chain attacks doubled to 60% of breaches per IBM 2023.
Verified17Ransomware payments averaged $812,360 in 2022 Sophos.
Verified18Healthcare most targeted sector, 21% of breaches Verizon.
Verified19Financial sector 15% of cyber incidents 2023.
Directional20State-sponsored cyber attacks from China, Russia top threats.
Single source21Mobile malware samples 12 million in 2022 Kaspersky.
Verified22Deepfake fraud cases up 300% in 2023.
Verified23Credential stuffing attacks 200 billion attempts yearly Akamai.
Verified24SIM swapping incidents 1,600 reported 2022 FTC.
Directional2593% of orgs multi-factor authentication bypassed 2023.
Single sourceCyber Crimes Interpretation
Cybercrime is less a threat and more a global-scale heist where the world’s bank vault is permanently stuck in the open position.
Drug Crimes
1Drug possession arrests totaled 367,642 in 2022, down from prior years.
Verified2Drug abuse violations led to 1,293,369 arrests in 2019 pre-pandemic peak.
Verified3Marijuana possession arrests were 88% of drug possession arrests historically.
Verified4In 2022, 614,346 arrests for drug abuse violations nationwide.
Directional5Heroin/cocaine arrests: 145,000 in 2022 per FBI.
Single source6Synthetic drug arrests up 20% in 2022 to over 10,000.
Verified780% of drug arrests are for possession, not sales per ACLU analysis.
Verified8Black Americans arrested for marijuana possession at 3.73 times rate of whites.
Verified9Drug overdose deaths reached 107,941 in 2022, mostly fentanyl.
Directional10Fentanyl involved in 68% of overdose deaths in 2022 CDC data.
Single source11Methamphetamine use led to 36,000 overdose deaths in 2022.
Verified12Drug trafficking organizations operate in all 50 states per DEA 2023.
Verified13Sinaloa Cartel responsible for 70% of US fentanyl supply per DEA.
Verified142.7 million Americans aged 12+ used illicit drugs daily in 2022 NSDUH.
Directional15Past-year cocaine use: 5.2 million adults in 2022.
Single source16Opioid use disorder affected 6.1 million in 2022 SAMHSA.
Verified17Drug courts handled 150,000 cases annually pre-2020.
Verified1840% of state prisoners incarcerated for drug offenses in 2019.
Verified19Federal drug sentences averaged 72 months in FY2022.
Directional20Methamphetamine trafficking convictions: 10,000+ in FY2022 USSC.
Single source21Heroin trafficking average sentence 107 months FY2022.
Verified22Fentanyl powder trafficking up dramatically, average 125 months FY2022.
Verified23Drug possession federal cases: 11,000 in FY2022.
Verified24Nebraska highest drug possession arrest rate 250 per 100,000.
Directional25Louisiana drug arrest rate 600+ per 100,000 in 2022.
Single source2688% of marijuana arrests for possession in 2022 ACLU.
Verified27Juvenile drug arrests down 70% since 1997 peak.
Verified2815% of violent crimes linked to drug use per NCVS 2021.
VerifiedDrug Crimes Interpretation
The data paints a grimly ironic picture where a system hyper-focused on arresting users, often with profound racial bias, struggles against a flood of increasingly deadly synthetic drugs that it seems powerless to stop.
Economic Crimes
1Fraud offenses reported 929,053 in 2022, up significantly.
Verified2Embezzlement arrests: 15,000 in 2022 FBI data.
Verified3Forgery and counterfeiting: 43,000 arrests in 2022.
Verified4Fraud losses estimated at $5.8 billion annually for consumers per FTC.
Directional5Identity theft complaints: 1.1 million in 2022 FTC.
Single source6Investment scams cost Americans $3.8 billion in 2022.
Verified7Romance scams: $1.3 billion lost, median $2,000 per victim 2022.
Verified8Imposter scams top category with 794,000 reports in 2022 FTC.
Verified9Corporate fraud cost US economy $300-800 billion yearly per ACFE.
Directional1042% of occupational fraud via asset misappropriation per ACFE 2022.
Single source11Median loss from occupational fraud schemes: $117,000 ACFE 2022.
Verified12Corruption schemes 11% of occupational fraud, median $200,000 loss.
Verified13Financial statement fraud 10%, but median loss $766,000 ACFE.
Verified14Money laundering global flows $800 billion to $2 trillion annually UNODC.
Directional15Tax evasion costs US $500 billion yearly IRS estimates.
Single source16Ponzi schemes defrauded $30 billion since 2008 per SEC.
Verified17Elder financial exploitation losses $3 billion annually FINRA.
Verified185% of US adults victimized by fraud yearly per AARP.
Verified19Wire fraud convictions average 24 months sentence FY2022 USSC.
Directional20Mail fraud average 20 months FY2022 USSC.
Single source21Securities fraud median loss $1 million per case ACFE.
Verified2274% of fraudsters had no prior fraud conviction per ACFE 2022.
Verified23Small businesses suffer 50% higher fraud losses per ACFE.
Verified24Check fraud losses $20 billion in 2022 per ABA.
Directional25PPP loan fraud estimated $80 billion during pandemic SBA.
Single source26Bankruptcy fraud 10,000 cases yearly DOJ.
Verified27Antitrust cartel fines $2.5 billion in 2022 DOJ.
Verified28Bribery in procurement 15% of public contracts globally World Bank.
VerifiedEconomic Crimes Interpretation
The numbers paint fraud not as a crime wave but as a parallel, parasitic economy, where the currency is broken trust and the cost is levied on everything from a retiree's savings to the nation's tax base.
Property Crimes
1In 2022, burglaries decreased 1.7% nationally to 539,936 offenses per FBI UCR.
Verified2Burglary rate was 132.2 per 100,000 in 2022, lowest since 1960.
Verified3Residential burglaries made up 62% of all burglaries in 2022 FBI data.
Verified4Larceny-thefts totaled 4,472,411 in 2022, down 2.3% from 2021.
Directional5Motor vehicle thefts rose 8.5% to 703,091 in 2022 per FBI.
Single source6Shoplifting accounted for 48% of larceny-thefts in 2022 NCVS estimates.
Verified7Property crime victimization rate was 95.2 per 1,000 households in 2021 NCVS.
Verified8Burglary victimization rate fell to 13.3 per 1,000 households in 2021.
Verified9Motor vehicle theft rate per NCVS was 4.2 per 1,000 in 2021.
Directional1070% of property crimes reported to police resulted in no arrest in 2022.
Single source11Average value stolen in burglaries was $2,351 per NCVS 2021 data.
Verified12Theft from motor vehicles comprised 22% of property crimes in NCVS 2021.
Verified13Purse snatchings and pocket pickings were 1% of larcenies in 2022 FBI.
Verified14California led with 145,792 burglaries in 2022.
Directional15New York reported 26,814 burglaries in 2022.
Single source16Texas had 123,715 larceny-thefts in 2022 FBI data.
Verified17Identity theft affected 1.05 million households in 2021 NCVS.
Verified18Household burglary rate highest for renters at 20.5 per 1,000 in 2021.
Verified1925% of burglaries occurred during daytime per NCVS historical data.
Directional20Forced entry used in 56% of burglaries reported to police in 2022.
Single source21Unlawful entry without force was 28% of burglaries in 2022.
Verified22Attempted burglaries totaled 12% of burglary incidents in 2022.
Verified23Bike thefts estimated at 800,000 annually in US per NICB.
Verified24Catalytic converter thefts surged 1,200% in some areas 2021-2022.
Directional25Arson offenses were 13,480 in 2022, down 5.2%.
Single source26Structures were arson targets in 48.2% of cases in 2022.
Verified27In 2021, 24.5 million property crimes occurred per NCVS estimates.
Verified28Only 32% of property crimes were reported to police in 2021 NCVS.
Verified29In 2022, 27.7 million Americans aged 12+ were victims of property crime per NCVS.
DirectionalProperty Crimes Interpretation
While the overall property crime picture is brightening, the national mood is still decidedly mixed, as if we're cautiously celebrating a slightly cleaner room while noticing someone is still joyriding in our driveway and swiping parts off the car.
Violent Crimes
1In 2022, the FBI reported 21,156 murders and nonnegligent manslaughters in the United States, marking a 0.4% increase from 21,083 in 2021.
Verified2The national murder rate in the US was 6.3 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022, down slightly from 6.8 in 2021.
Verified3Firearms were used in 77.5% of all murders in the United States in 2022 according to FBI data.
Verified4Aggravated assaults accounted for 847,962 incidents in the US in 2022, representing 88.5% of violent crimes reported to police.
Directional5The aggravated assault rate in the US fell to 202.4 per 100,000 in 2022 from 268.5 in 1993 peak.
Single source6Robbery offenses decreased by 1.8% in the US in 2022, totaling 202,962 incidents.
Verified7In 2022, 42.8% of robberies involved firearms according to expanded homicide data.
Verified8Rape offenses (revised definition) numbered 133,294 in the US in 2022, up 6.6% from 2021.
Verified9The forcible rape rate was 42.6 per 100,000 women in the US in 2021 per NCVS.
Directional10Simple assaults comprised 57% of all assaults reported in NCVS data for 2022.
Single source11In 2021, there were 1.2 million violent victimizations in the US per NCVS, rate of 16.5 per 1,000 age 12+.
Verified12Homicide victimization rate for Black males aged 15-34 was 81.6 per 100,000 in 2021.
Verified13Domestic violence accounted for 15% of violent victimizations in 2021 NCVS data.
Verified14Stranger-perpetrated violent crimes made up 40% of incidents in 2022 NCVS.
Directional15In 2022, Chicago had 617 homicides, highest among US cities per capita adjusted.
Single source16Philadelphia reported 516 murders in 2022, a 16% increase from prior year.
Verified17Baltimore's 2022 homicide count was 261, rate of 44 per 100,000.
Verified18New Orleans had a homicide rate of 72 per 100,000 in 2022.
Verified19St. Louis led with 200 homicides in 2022, rate over 60 per 100,000.
Directional20Gang-related homicides comprised 13% of total US murders in recent FBI data.
Single source21In 2021, 54% of murder victims were Black, despite being 13% of population.
Verified22Female murder victims were 29% of total in 2022 FBI stats.
Verified23Argument was motive in 49.5% of homicides in 2022.
Verified24Felony-type murders (robbery, burglary) were 10.5% of total in 2022.
Directional25Narcotics-related homicides at 2.3% of total murders in 2022 FBI data.
Single source26Juvenile homicide victims under 18 numbered 1,258 in 2022.
Verified27Elderly (65+) violent victimization rate was 4.3 per 1,000 in 2021 NCVS.
Verified28Workplace homicides averaged 458 per year from 2011-2021 per BLS.
Verified29Mass killings (4+ victims) totaled 28 incidents with 149 killed in 2022.
Directional30Police killed 1,176 people in 2022, highest on record per Mapping Police Violence.
Single sourceViolent Crimes Interpretation
While it paints a grimly fascinating portrait of American violence—where firearms dominate murder, arguments tragically eclipse felony motives, and stark racial disparities persist—the overall trend remains a cautiously hopeful, if painfully slow, decline from the terrifying peaks of the past.
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