Reported homicides and rapes declined in the first nine months of 2022 compared with the same period last year, but robberies and aggravated assaults increased, said the Major Cities Chiefs Association in a compilation from 70 large cities. The group said that the homicide total dropped from 7,184 to 6,877 and reported rapes fell from 25,694 to 24,815.
However, robberies increased from 83,756 to 92,961 and aggravated assaults rose from 262,776 to 266,294. While homicide figures get more attention in media reports, many experts say robbery numbers provide a better indication of violent crime trends. Although the report covered only 70 jurisdictions, those places account for a disproportionately high percentage of the nation's crimes.