Homicides Down in Major US Cities But Still Above Pre-Pandemic Levels While Car Thefts Surge

Homicides have dropped around 10 percent in the first half of 2023 compared to 2022, but remain about 24 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Twenty cities saw declines in homicides this year while ten cities had increases.
Violent crimes like gun assaults and robberies also fell compared to last year but are still elevated from 2019.
Motor vehicle thefts jumped by around 33 percent in the first half of 2023, influenced partly by a viral TikTok challenge.
The rise and decline in violent crime is attributed to pandemic disruptions and recent social unrest over police violence.