While the steady hum of headlines might suggest a world ablaze with violence, a closer look at the statistics reveals a complex and often contradictory global picture of crime, where national murder rates can range from Japan's remarkably low 0.23 per 100,000 to South Africa's staggering 45.0 in the same year.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the United States recorded 21,156 murders and non-negligent manslaughters, a 0.3% increase from 2021
- The national murder rate in the US was 6.3 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022, down from a peak of 7.8 in 2020
- Chicago had 617 homicides in 2022, with a rate of 23.5 per 100,000 residents
- In 2022, aggravated assaults in the US totaled 880,543 incidents reported to police
- The US aggravated assault rate was 264.1 per 100,000 in 2022
- Firearms were used in 21% of aggravated assaults in 2021 US data
- In 2022, US robberies totaled 202,433 reported incidents, down 1.6% from 2021
- US robbery rate was 60.7 per 100,000 population in 2022
- Firearms used in 29% of US robberies in 2021, per FBI SHR
- In 2022, US reported rapes and sexual assaults totaled 133,294 under revised definition
- US rape rate was 40.0 per 100,000 in 2022
- 91% of US rape victims are female per 2021 NCVS
- In 2022, total US violent crime index offenses were 1,237,723, down 1.7% from 2021
- Violent crime rate in US fell to 370.7 per 100,000 in 2022
- NCVS 2022 estimated 5.9 million US violent victimizations ages 12+
Violent crime remains high in the US with firearm homicides being especially prevalent.
Aggravated Assault
- In 2022, aggravated assaults in the US totaled 880,543 incidents reported to police
- The US aggravated assault rate was 264.1 per 100,000 in 2022
- Firearms were used in 21% of aggravated assaults in 2021 US data
- California reported 141,000 aggravated assaults in 2022
- In 2022, 75% of aggravated assaults involved known offenders, per NCVS
- Males aged 18-24 accounted for 28% of aggravated assault offenders in 2021
- England's aggravated wounding offenses rose 5% to 65,000 in year to March 2023
- In Canada, 2022 level 2 assaults (aggravated) totaled 15,862 incidents
- Australia's serious assault rate was 104 per 100,000 in 2021-22
- 42% of US aggravated assaults in 2022 occurred in residences, per NCVS
- New York State aggravated assaults increased 12% to 38,000 in 2022
- In 2021, Black victims comprised 33% of aggravated assault victims despite 13% population
- Texas reported 100,000+ aggravated assaults in 2022, rate 336 per 100,000
- Alcohol involvement in 35% of aggravated assaults per 2020 NCVS data
- Florida's aggravated assault count was 70,182 in 2022
- In Germany, 2022 grievous bodily harm cases totaled 143,000
- US aggravated assault clearance rate was 52.5% in 2022
- Intimate partner aggravated assaults made up 12% of total in 2021 NCVS
- Illinois reported 24,000 aggravated assaults in 2022 Chicago alone
- In 2022, 18% of aggravated assaults involved strangers per NCVS
- Pennsylvania aggravated assault rate 250 per 100,000 in 2022
- Knives used in 17% of US aggravated assaults in 2021 FBI data
- Michigan's 2022 aggravated assaults totaled 45,000
- Elderly (65+) aggravated assault victimization rate 5.2 per 1,000 in 2021
- Ohio reported 28,500 aggravated assaults in 2022
- Gang-related aggravated assaults 10% of total in large US cities 2021
- Georgia aggravated assault rate 290 per 100,000 in 2022
- In 2022 NCVS, 1.1 million aggravated assaults against whites
- North Carolina 35,000 aggravated assaults in 2022
- Blunt objects used in 9% of aggravated assaults 2021
Aggravated Assault Interpretation
In a sobering reflection of our times, the data suggests a world where aggression is distressingly commonplace, often fueled by alcohol and firearms among young men, yet its reporting remains frustratingly incomplete while its impact on Black communities is disproportionately severe.
General Violent Crime
- In 2022, total US violent crime index offenses were 1,237,723, down 1.7% from 2021
- Violent crime rate in US fell to 370.7 per 100,000 in 2022
- NCVS 2022 estimated 5.9 million US violent victimizations ages 12+
- California violent crimes 400,000+ in 2022
- Urban areas violent crime rate 480 per 100,000 vs 170 rural in 2022
- England's violent crime 2.1 million incidents year to March 2023
- Canada violent crime severity index rose 5% to 90.8 in 2022
- Australia violent crime victimization 3.8% of population 2021-22
- Black Americans violent victimization rate 25.1 per 1,000 in 2022 NCVS
- Texas violent crime rate 446 per 100,000 in 2022
- Post-2020 violent crime peaked then fell 6% nationally by 2023 Q1
- Florida violent crimes 140,000 in 2022
- 45% of violent crimes involved alcohol per 2021 NCVS
- Chicago violent crimes 110,000 in 2022
- Violent crime clearance rate US 41% in 2022
- Germany violent crimes 214,000 bodily injuries in 2022
- Elderly violent victimization 8.5 per 1,000 in 2022 NCVS
- Pennsylvania violent crime rate 390 per 100,000 2022
- Gangs involved in 20% urban violent crimes 2021 NYGC
- Michigan violent crimes 80,000 in 2022
- Hispanics violent victimization 18.2 per 1,000 2022 NCVS
- Ohio violent crime rate 280 per 100,000 2022
- 35% violent crimes by strangers per 2022 NCVS
- Georgia violent crimes 50,000 in 2022
- Firearms in 25% all violent crimes US 2022 SHR
- North Carolina violent crime rate 460 per 100,000 2022
General Violent Crime Interpretation
While there's a modest national decline, the violent crime landscape remains a complex and sobering patchwork where your risk is sharply defined by your location, race, and the bottle in a stranger's hand, with solving these crimes remaining a coin toss at best.
Murder/Homicide
- In 2022, the United States recorded 21,156 murders and non-negligent manslaughters, a 0.3% increase from 2021
- The national murder rate in the US was 6.3 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022, down from a peak of 7.8 in 2020
- Chicago had 617 homicides in 2022, with a rate of 23.5 per 100,000 residents
- Firearm homicides accounted for 79% of all US murders in 2021, totaling over 19,000 deaths
- In England and Wales, there were 590 homicides in the year ending March 2023, a 14% increase from the previous year
- Mexico's homicide rate reached 28.2 per 100,000 in 2022, with over 33,000 murders
- Brazil recorded 47,508 homicides in 2021, a rate of 22.4 per 100,000
- South Africa's murder rate was 45.0 per 100,000 in 2022/23, with 27,494 killings
- In 2020, the US intimate partner homicide rate for women was 1.0 per 100,000
- Gang-related homicides comprised 13% of all US murders in 2021
- Canada's homicide rate was 2.25 per 100,000 in 2022, with 778 victims
- Australia's homicide rate fell to 0.85 per 100,000 in 2021-22, lowest on record
- In 2022, 54% of US murders were committed with handguns
- Philadelphia reported 516 homicides in 2022, rate of 31.5 per 100,000
- Japan's homicide rate was 0.23 per 100,000 in 2022, one of the lowest globally
- In 2021, Black Americans were 13 times more likely to be homicide victims than whites, rate 29.1 vs 2.2 per 100,000
- Baltimore's 2022 homicide count was 261, rate 43.4 per 100,000
- India's homicide rate was 2.1 per 100,000 in 2022, with 28,522 cases
- In 2023 Q1, New York City had 112 murders, up 25% year-over-year
- Russia's homicide rate dropped to 4.7 per 100,000 in 2022
- In 2022, 60% of US mass killings involved firearms, 36 incidents total
- Detroit's homicide rate was 41.6 per 100,000 in 2022 with 309 killings
- Germany's homicide rate was 0.8 per 100,000 in 2022, 216 cases excluding negligent
- In 2021, Hispanic homicide victimization rate in US was 7.9 per 100,000
- St. Louis had the highest US murder rate in 2022 at 69.4 per 100,000, 200 homicides
- France reported 959 homicides in 2022, rate 1.45 per 100,000
- In 2020, COVID-19 saw US murders spike 30% to 21,570
- New Orleans 2022 homicide rate 72.8 per 100,000, 266 murders
- Sweden's homicide rate rose to 1.1 per 100,000 in 2022, 116 cases
- In 2022, US youth (ages 15-24) homicide rate was 14.8 per 100,000
Murder/Homicide Interpretation
While America's murder rate appears to be settling into a grim new normal that's still staggeringly high, it pales in comparison to global hotspots, yet starkly reveals a domestic landscape where geography, race, and the pervasive presence of firearms paint a picture of deeply uneven and uniquely American violence.
Rape/Sexual Assault
- In 2022, US reported rapes and sexual assaults totaled 133,294 under revised definition
- US rape rate was 40.0 per 100,000 in 2022
- 91% of US rape victims are female per 2021 NCVS
- California sexual assaults 15,000 reported in 2022
- Residences location for 50% of sexual assaults per 2022 NCVS
- Alcohol involved in 50% of sexual assaults per NIJ study 2021
- England sexual offenses 194,000 in year to March 2023
- Canada 2022 sexual assaults totaled 24,000 police-reported
- Australia sexual assault rate 84 per 100,000 females 2021-22
- NCVS 2022 estimated 159,000 completed rapes in US
- Texas sexual assaults 8,500 reported 2022
- College campuses saw 5,300 rapes in 2021 per CSI data
- Florida rapes 6,000 in 2022
- 70% of sexual assaults unreported to police per RAINN 2022
- Illinois Chicago sexual assaults 2,500 in 2022
- Rape clearance rate US 31% in 2022
- Germany sexual violence offenses 8,600 in 2022
- 42% of rape victims under 18 per CDC 2021
- Pennsylvania sexual assaults 3,200 in 2022
- Acquaintance perpetrators 70% of sexual assaults NCVS 2021
- Michigan rapes 4,000 in 2022
- Elderly sexual assault rate 0.4 per 1,000 in 2021 NCVS
- Ohio sexual assaults 2,800 in 2022
- Male victims 7% of sexual assaults per 2022 NCVS
- Georgia rapes 2,100 in 2022
- Campus sexual assaults declined 20% post-2015 Title IX
- North Carolina sexual assaults 2,500 in 2022
Rape/Sexual Assault Interpretation
These grim statistics reveal a widespread and deeply entrenched crisis of sexual violence, where the vast majority of victims are women, half the attacks occur at home, most go unreported, and the perpetrators are usually known to their targets.
Robbery
- In 2022, US robberies totaled 202,433 reported incidents, down 1.6% from 2021
- US robbery rate was 60.7 per 100,000 population in 2022
- Firearms used in 29% of US robberies in 2021, per FBI SHR
- California robberies numbered 57,000 in 2022
- Street/highway was location for 40% of robberies in 2022 NCVS
- New York City robberies fell 10% to 13,000 in 2022
- Males 18-24 were 25% of robbery offenders in 2021 arrests
- England's robbery offenses 78,000 in year to March 2023
- Canada 2022 robberies totaled 23,000 incidents
- Australia robbery rate 20 per 100,000 in 2021-22
- 55% of US robberies involved known offenders per 2022 NCVS
- Texas robberies 15,000 in 2022, rate 50 per 100,000
- Black offenders 50% of robbery arrests in 2021 despite 13% population
- Florida robberies 12,500 in 2022
- Convenience stores site of 8% of robberies in 2021 NCVS
- Illinois Chicago robberies 5,000 in 2022
- Robbery clearance rate US average 29% in 2022
- Germany robbery offenses 35,000 in 2022
- Intimate partner robberies rare, 2% of total per NCVS 2021
- Pennsylvania robberies 6,000 in 2022
- Strong-arm robberies (no weapon) 42% of total US 2022
- Michigan robberies 7,500 in 2022
- Elderly robbery victimization rate 1.2 per 1,000 in 2021 NCVS
- Ohio robberies 4,500 in 2022
- Gang robberies 15% in large cities 2021
- Georgia robberies 5,200 in 2022
- 2022 NCVS estimated 433,000 US robbery victimizations
- North Carolina robberies 4,000 in 2022
Robbery Interpretation
While the data presents a modest national decline, the sobering reality is that robbery remains a stubbornly frequent street crime where knowing your assailant is tragically common, guns are disturbingly prevalent, and the odds of seeing them brought to justice remain disappointingly slim.
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