A new study finds that national homicide rates in the United States kept falling through the first half of 2026, extending a historic downward trend. The analysis from the Council on Criminal Justice covered 30 cities and noted an average 18 percent drop in 21 of them.
The report, released Thursday by the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, examined crime patterns across 36 cities. Nine of 13 tracked categories declined, with carjackings showing the largest drop.
Adam Gelb, the council's president and chief executive, said the consistency of declines across cities with varied policies points to broader influences such as technology and reduced alcohol abuse. Violent and property crimes also fell overall.
Some cities recorded increases. San Francisco saw a 55 percent rise according to the study, though local police reported 16 homicides compared with 13 in the same period of 2025. Dallas recorded a reported 30 percent increase, which its police department disputed.
Lincoln, Nebraska, reported zero homicides so far this year after six in 2025. Little Rock, Arkansas, and Rochester, New York, posted drops of 61 percent and 76 percent respectively.
