Former President Donald Trump Faces Backlash Over FBI Crime Data
Former President Donald Trump has faced criticism on the campaign trail for his claims about falling violent crime rates in America, based on FBI statistics. However, recent adjustments to the bureau’s 2022 figures reveal an increase in violent crime incidents.
The FBI’s statistics were quietly revised, showing that the number of violent crime incidents rose to 1,256,671 in 2022 from 1,197,930 in 2021, a 4.9% increase. This adjustment was reported by RealClearInvestigations.
Despite the initial projection of a decrease in violent crime rates, the FBI’s adjustment now suggests a 4.5% increase. This revision was not highlighted in the bureau’s annual crime figures press release from September of this year.
The Crime Prevention Research Center identified the FBI’s adjustment, raising concerns about the reliability of the data.
In 2021, the FBI acknowledged errors in counting violent crime incidents, leading to discrepancies in the data between 2021 and 2022.
Experts, including College of William & Mary economics professor Carl Moody, have expressed skepticism towards the FBI’s data integrity, especially with significant changes in recent years.
During a presidential debate, Trump was fact-checked on his claims about crime data, which often rely on FBI statistics that have faced ongoing scrutiny for accuracy.
The FBI transitioned to a new system of collecting crime data in 2021, leading to concerns about reporting accuracy and reliability.
Analysis shows that the FBI is missing data from local agencies, and reporting rates have dropped, casting doubt on the completeness of the data.
In addition to transition challenges, concerns have also been raised about the FBI’s reliance on self-reporting of crimes that may go unreported.
