While the murder rate hit a near thirty-year high and firearm homicides remain tragically routine, the unsettling truth of America's crime landscape extends far beyond these headlines into a complex web of violence, property loss, digital fraud, and hidden epidemics.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the United States recorded 21,156 murders and non-negligent manslaughters, a 0.3% increase from 2021.
- The murder rate in the US reached 6.3 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022, the highest since 1994.
- Firearm-related homicides accounted for 79% of all homicides in the US in 2021, totaling approximately 19,384 cases.
- Nationwide burglaries totaled 898,233 in 2022, down 0.9% from 2021.
- Larceny-thefts numbered 5,260,513 in 2022, a 2.2% decrease.
- Motor vehicle thefts surged 8.4% to 1,037,618 in 2022.
- In 2022, federal drug arrests totaled 13,648, down 20% from 2019.
- Opioid-related overdose deaths reached 81,806 in 2022.
- Marijuana possession arrests were 88% of drug arrests in 2021.
- In 2022, the FBI's IC3 received 800,944 cyber crime complaints totaling $10.3 billion in losses.
- Phishing/scamming complaints numbered 298,878 in 2022, causing $52 million median loss.
- Business email compromise (BEC) scams led to $2.7 billion losses in 2022.
- In FY2022, DOJ prosecuted 2,100+ white-collar cases with $3.7 billion losses.
- Securities fraud schemes led to $3.2 billion investor losses in 2022.
- Ponzi schemes defrauded 17,000 victims of $2.98 billion in 2022.
US murders and violent crime rose in 2022 while property crime decreased overall.
Cyber and Internet Crime Statistics
- In 2022, the FBI's IC3 received 800,944 cyber crime complaints totaling $10.3 billion in losses.
- Phishing/scamming complaints numbered 298,878 in 2022, causing $52 million median loss.
- Business email compromise (BEC) scams led to $2.7 billion losses in 2022.
- Ransomware complaints: 2,325 in 2022, with $1 billion+ extorted.
- Cryptocurrency investment fraud losses: $3.9 billion in 2022.
- Online romance scams affected 19,000 victims, losses $1.3 billion in 2022.
- Identity theft complaints: 351,937 in 2022.
- Tech support scams: 14,200 complaints, $145 million losses.
- Dark web monitoring detected 1.2 million exposed credentials monthly avg 2022.
- DDoS attacks hit 15.4 million in 2022, up 200%.
- Data breaches exposed 422 million records in US 2022.
- Malware attacks: 5.4 billion detections in 2022 per Microsoft.
- Credential stuffing attacks: 200 billion attempts in 2022.
- E-commerce fraud losses: $48 billion globally, US 40% share 2022.
- Sextortion complaints: 13,000 to IC3 in 2022, up 20%.
- Investment fraud via social media: $1 billion losses 2022.
- Healthcare cyber attacks: 540 incidents in 2022.
- Botnet-driven attacks compromised 1 million devices in 2022.
- SIM swapping incidents reported 1,600 to IC3 2022.
- Deepfake fraud attempts rose 550% in 2022.
- Gaming platform hacks led to $1.5 billion crypto theft 2022.
- Employee impersonation scams cost $1 billion in 2022.
- Zero-day exploits used in 25% of breaches 2022.
- Mobile malware samples grew to 6.1 million in 2022.
- Supply chain attacks: 45% increase to 600 incidents 2022.
- Voice phishing (vishing) complaints up 58% in 2022.
- NFT scams defrauded $3 billion in 2022.
- State-sponsored cyber intrusions: 40 attributed to China 2022.
Cyber and Internet Crime Statistics Interpretation
The data paints a stark portrait of 2022: while millions were lost to clumsy phishing attempts, the real heists occurred through personalized lies like business email compromise and romance scams, proving that the most sophisticated code is still no match for the oldest human vulnerabilities.
Drug and Substance Abuse Crime Statistics
- In 2022, federal drug arrests totaled 13,648, down 20% from 2019.
- Opioid-related overdose deaths reached 81,806 in 2022.
- Marijuana possession arrests were 88% of drug arrests in 2021.
- Fentanyl seizures at borders hit 27,000 pounds in FY2023.
- Drug trafficking offenders sentenced federally averaged 82 months in FY2022.
- Methamphetamine production labs busted: 12 in 2022, lowest ever.
- Heroin arrests declined 65% from 2010 to 2022.
- Synthetic cannabinoids involved in 1,000+ overdose deaths in 2022.
- Drug possession arrests: 1.1 million in 2022 per FBI.
- Cocaine purity at street level averaged 60% in 2022.
- Prescription opioid misuse led to 15,000 overdose deaths in 2022.
- Darknet drug markets generated $1.7 billion in sales in 2022.
- Drug trafficking organizations from Mexico supplied 90% of fentanyl.
- Juvenile drug arrests fell 70% since 2000 peak.
- Benzodiazepine overdoses increased 20% to 12,057 in 2022.
- Drug-related prison population was 13% of total in 2022.
- Ecstasy/MDMA seizures doubled to 2.1 million doses in 2022.
- Drug court participants reduced recidivism by 45% per studies.
- Stimulant overdoses (meth/coke) hit 38,000 in 2022.
- Drug trafficking convictions: 18,069 in federal courts FY2022.
- Rural drug overdose rate was 21.1 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Ketamine trafficking arrests up 15% in 2022.
- Drug sales arrests: 10% of total drug arrests in 2022.
- Polysubstance overdoses were 70% of drug deaths in 2022.
- Drug manufacturing arrests declined 25% from 2021.
- Internet-sourced drugs caused 15% rise in overdoses 2022.
Drug and Substance Abuse Crime Statistics Interpretation
While federal drug arrests are falling and fewer labs are being busted, the death toll from overdoses is soaring, revealing a grim paradox where we’re arresting more people for low-level possession than trafficking, yet failing to stem the tide of increasingly potent and lethal substances flooding the country.
Property Crime Statistics
- Nationwide burglaries totaled 898,233 in 2022, down 0.9% from 2021.
- Larceny-thefts numbered 5,260,513 in 2022, a 2.2% decrease.
- Motor vehicle thefts surged 8.4% to 1,037,618 in 2022.
- Property crime rate was 1,954.4 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Residential burglaries accounted for 62% of all burglaries in 2022.
- Shoplifting incidents rose 14% in 2022 per retail reports.
- Property victimizations per NCVS fell 3% to 16.9 per 1,000 households in 2022.
- Burglary clearance rate was 13.1% nationally in 2022.
- Motor vehicle thefts in California hit 157,000 in 2022.
- Pocket-picking and purse-snatching totaled 38,500 in 2022.
- Property crimes against renters increased 5% per NCVS 2022.
- Arson offenses numbered 13,700 in 2022, up 6%.
- Non-residential burglaries declined 2% in 2022.
- Bike thefts estimated at 800,000 annually, mostly unreported.
- Property crime in urban areas was 2,106 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Completed burglaries dropped 4% from 2021 per NCVS.
- Retail theft losses exceeded $112 billion in 2022.
- Vehicle recovery rate for thefts was 45.2% in 2022.
- Property crimes committed by juveniles fell 7% in 2022.
- Sneak thefts (unforced entry) were 15% of burglaries in 2022.
- Property crime arrests totaled 730,000 in 2022.
- Daylight burglaries comprised 60% of incidents per NCVS.
- Southwest region saw 5% rise in property crimes in 2022.
- Thefts from vehicles numbered 1.2 million in 2022.
- Organized retail crime groups stole $4.17 billion in 2022.
- Property crime victimization rate for Hispanics was 18.5 per 1,000 in 2022.
Property Crime Statistics Interpretation
While most of us were busy worrying about burglars and bike thieves, the real party was in the parking lot, where car thefts decided to buck the trend and surge by 8.4%, proving that even in a world of declining crime, ambition finds a way.
Violent Crime Statistics
- In 2022, the United States recorded 21,156 murders and non-negligent manslaughters, a 0.3% increase from 2021.
- The murder rate in the US reached 6.3 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022, the highest since 1994.
- Firearm-related homicides accounted for 79% of all homicides in the US in 2021, totaling approximately 19,384 cases.
- From 2019 to 2020, murders increased by 30% nationwide, from 16,425 to 21,570.
- In 2022, California reported 2,075 murders, the highest of any state.
- The national violent crime rate was 380.7 per 100,000 in 2022, up 1.7% from 2021.
- Aggravated assaults numbered 884,615 in 2022, comprising 68% of violent crimes.
- Robberies decreased by 1.6% in 2022 to 202,838 incidents nationwide.
- Rape offenses totaled 133,294 in 2022 under the revised definition.
- Between 1993 and 2022, the violent victimization rate fell 49% according to NCVS.
- In 2022, males aged 18-24 had a homicide victimization rate of 39.9 per 100,000.
- Black Americans experienced a homicide rate of 29.0 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Simple assaults reported to police rose 4.2% in 2022.
- Domestic violence-related homicides increased 9% from 2021 to 2022.
- Gang-related homicides accounted for 13% of urban murders in 2022.
- Youth homicides (under 18) numbered 1,737 in 2021.
- Mass shootings (4+ victims) occurred 636 times in 2022.
- Homicide clearance rate nationally was 52.3% in 2022.
- Drive-by shootings contributed to 5% of homicides in major cities in 2022.
- Violent crime in suburbs increased 12% from 2021 to 2022.
- Rural violent crime rate was 173.7 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Weapons used in 72% of violent crimes in 2022 per NCVS.
- Stranger-perpetrated violent victimizations dropped 10% in 2022.
- Violent crimes against persons aged 65+ fell 15% from 2021.
- Police-reported violent crimes totaled 1.2 million in 2022.
- Assaults with injury comprised 45% of violent victimizations in NCVS 2022.
- Violent crime arrests peaked at 421,523 in 2022.
- Repeat violent victimization affected 1.2% of households in 2022.
- Nighttime violent crimes were 2.5 times more likely per NCVS 2022.
- Violent crime in the Northeast declined 2.8% in 2022.
Violent Crime Statistics Interpretation
While the overall national picture remains one of long-term decline, the stubborn and tragic persistence of gun violence—especially among young men and Black communities—paints a starkly different portrait, suggesting we've become numbly proficient at solving a crime problem for some while utterly failing to solve it for others.
White-Collar and Financial Crime Statistics
- In FY2022, DOJ prosecuted 2,100+ white-collar cases with $3.7 billion losses.
- Securities fraud schemes led to $3.2 billion investor losses in 2022.
- Ponzi schemes defrauded 17,000 victims of $2.98 billion in 2022.
- Corporate fraud convictions: 409 in federal courts FY2022.
- Health care fraud: $2.9 billion recovered by Medicare Fraud Strike Force 2022.
- PPP loan fraud: 3,500 charged, $836 million losses 2022.
- Money laundering convictions: 1,200 in FY2022.
- Embezzlement losses averaged $1.5 million per case in 2022.
- Insider trading tips led to 50 SEC cases in 2022.
- Tax fraud collections: $4.7 billion from 1,000+ prosecutions 2022.
- Elder financial exploitation losses: $3.4 billion reported 2022.
- Wire fraud complaints: 18,000 to IC3, $2.7 billion losses 2022.
- Bankruptcy fraud: 100 cases prosecuted, $500 million involved 2022.
- Antitrust cartel fines: $1.1 billion by DOJ in 2022.
- Bribery convictions: 450 in federal courts FY2022.
- Environmental crimes: 600 prosecutions, $200 million penalties 2022.
- False claims act recoveries: $2.2 billion from 700 cases 2022.
- Mortgage fraud reports: 12,000 to FinCEN in 2022.
- Commodity fraud: 20 CFTC cases with $1 billion sanctions 2022.
- Occupational fraud incidents: 52% asset misappropriation in ACFE 2022.
- Government contracting fraud: $1.5 billion losses audited 2022.
- Pyramid schemes shut down: 30 by FTC, $500 million recovered 2022.
- Public corruption convictions: 1,100 in FY2022.
- Real estate fraud losses: $446 million per FBI 2022.
- 401(k) fraud schemes targeted seniors, $200 million losses 2022.
- Forfeitures from financial crimes: $5.5 billion in FY2022.
White-Collar and Financial Crime Statistics Interpretation
While the numbers paint a staggering picture of greed's annual harvest, they also reveal the relentless, if seemingly Sisyphean, effort required to chase down the billions that vanish into the pockets of the suit-and-tie set.
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