How many murders were there in the U.S. last year? The FBI doesn’t know.
There were 21,570 homicides nationwide in 2020 — a shocking 29% surge from the 16,669 one year before. And the Bureau says that number rose even higher in 2021, probably to about 22,900. But it does not have an exact number.
That’s because the FBI switched to the online-only National Incident-Based Reporting System in January 2021 — and only about half of the nation’s police departments submitted 2021 annual data by the March 2022 deadline. Among those missing: New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
But no matter what the exact murder count is, it’s even higher than record-setting 2020.
A poll last week found that 77% see violent crime as a major problem — and 74% think crime is getting worse.
Last month, the House passed the Invest to Protect Act, introduced by Problem Solvers Caucus Co-chair Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), on a bipartisan 360-64 vote. The measure will provide up to $300 million over five years to police departments, aimed at officer training and retention.
Please join us in our work toward two-party solutions like this that have real impact on the issues that matter most.
