The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently updated its 2022 crime data, revealing an unexpected increase in violent crimes. This revision contradicted earlier reports, which indicated a decrease in violent crime; a narrative publicized by the corrupt Biden-Harris regime as a victory.
The initial data released by the FBI in September 2023 reported a 2.1% decrease in violent crimes compared to 2021. This figure was widely publicized by Democratic leaders and mainstream media as a sign of progress. However, the updated data reflects a net increase of 80,029 violent crimes as of 2022 over the previous year. John Lott, the founder and president of the Crime Prevention Research Center, expressed his concern, stating, “For some reason, the media picked the crime data that makes the Democrats look as good as possible. When the very source of that data corrects itself, none of them fix it.”
Under the newly revised data, violent crime includes an alarming uptick: 1,699 additional murders, 7,780 rapes, 33,459 robberies, and 37,091 aggravated assaults. The changes depict a grim picture, contradicting the narrative that crime was declining under the current administration. “The bizarre thing is, for a year after the 2022 data was released, headlines claimed that violent crime was falling,” Lott noted. “They relied on this data, yet there has been no correction in the news saying, ‘Oops, the FBI data was wrong.’”
President Biden and Vice President Harris had previously touted the initial findings, with Biden calling the reported declines “historic” and asserting that “Americans are safer today than when Vice President Harris and I took office.” These statements were based on the now-updated FBI statistics, which had erroneously suggested a decrease in crime.
In light of the revised data, the Trump campaign seized the opportunity to criticize the Biden administration. Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump campaign, stated, “President Trump was right… AGAIN! The federal government lied about Biden’s cognitive decline, job numbers, and now we learn they lied about crime numbers too.” Trump has consistently asserted on the campaign trail that “crime in this country is through the roof” under Biden’s leadership, a claim now seemingly validated by the FBI’s corrections.
The White House, confronted with the revised figures, defended its stance. A spokesperson stated that the violent crime rate is “at a near 50-year low” and attributed the positive trend to the passage of the American Rescue Plan in 2021. “Under the previous administration, our country saw the biggest increase in murder rates on record. President Biden and Vice President Harris immediately got to work to turn it around,” the spokesperson asserted, citing independent data from police chiefs indicating continued declines in crime rates.
Despite these assurances, the revision of the FBI’s data has raised questions about the reliability of the information being presented to the public. “When the 2022 data came out, we were told there was a drop in violent crime. Now, it appears there has been a 4.5% increase instead,” Lott explained, emphasizing the significant shift in the statistics. “That’s a 6.6 percentage point change. The implications are enormous.”
The discrepancies in data collection methods also contributed to the confusion. In 2021, the FBI transitioned from the Summary Reporting System (SRS) to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) — a change that led to a significant decrease in reporting rates from law enforcement agencies. An analysis indicated that reporting dipped below 70% for the first time in two decades, leaving gaps in the data that could skew national crime estimates.
“During the Trump administration, the FBI consistently adjusted crime data upwards, and now it appears to be downward revisions under the current administration,” Lott noted. He pointed out that the adjustments made by the FBI in the 2022 crime report could undermine public confidence in its statistics. “It’s very troubling when the data changes drastically without adequate explanation.”
In addition to the FBI’s findings, the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics revealed that total reported violent crimes increased from 5.6 incidents per 1,000 individuals aged 12 and over in 2020 to 8.7 per 1,000 in 2023. This survey indicated a 55.4% rise in total violent crimes since the end of Trump’s presidency. According to Lott, “Rape crimes increased by 42%, robbery by 63%, and aggravated assault by 55%,” underscoring the broader trend of rising crime rates despite government claims to the contrary.
As these numbers unfold, many are left questioning the accuracy and integrity of the data being disseminated. Lott highlighted that the lack of acknowledgment from the FBI regarding the revisions further complicates public trust. “I looked through the press release from the FBI, and there was no mention of any substantial change,” he said. “This lack of transparency is shocking and problematic.”
The changes in crime data may have significant implications for future political discourse. While the Biden administration seeks to portray a narrative of safety and declining crime rates, the reality presented by the revised FBI statistics complicates that story. Lott cautioned that without reliable data, “the conversation about public safety becomes clouded, and policies based on faulty data could have dire consequences.”
As the 2024 election approaches, crime statistics will undoubtedly be a pivotal topic for candidates on both sides. With the FBI’s revisions now in the public eye, both the Biden and Trump campaigns will likely leverage these figures to bolster their arguments, creating a contentious atmosphere as voters grapple with the reality of crime in America. “The debate surrounding crime and safety is far from over,” Lott concluded. “The public deserves accurate information to make informed decisions.
