AUSTIN, Texas — Violent crime is on a downward trend in major cities across the country, including Austin, according to a new survey.
The Major Cities Chiefs Association collected crime data from 69 major cities from Jan. 1 to June 30 of this year and compared it to the same timeframe in 2023. The data showed that the total number of homicides, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults dropped.
According to the data provided by the Austin Police Department, there were eight fewer homicides in the first half of 2024 compared to the first half of 2023. There were also 67 fewer reported rapes, 110 fewer reported robberies and more than 500 fewer aggravated assaults.
In a statement on Monday, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the U.S. Justice Department is committed to continuing to do what it takes to fight crime nationwide.
"We will not rest until every person and every community is safe from violent crime," Garland said. "We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners across the country to arrest violent felons, seize and trace guns used in crimes, disrupt violent drug trafficking, and make critical investments in police departments to hire more officers. And we will continue to work with our community partners to support life-saving initiatives aimed at preventing and disrupting violence before it occurs."
In addition to Austin, the police departments of six other major Texas cities contributed data to the survey: Arlington, Dallas, El Paso, Houston and San Antonio. While most cities reported declining trends in homicides, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults, Arlington did report an increase in aggravated assaults and Houston reported an increase in reported rapes.