There is a persistent popular misconception about violent and property crime in the United States. While many people think things are getting constantly worse, all available data indicates that the opposite is true.

As the below infographic shows, the long-term trends are clear cut: while in 1993, 747 violent crimes were committed per 100,000 residents the figure dropped by more than half to 372 in 2015, according to FBI data compiled by the Pew Research Center. The same applies to property crime per 100,000 residents which has dropped almost by half in the same time period.

Some observers believe that the disconnect between popular perception and reality lies hidden in media reports favoring the gory stories. The somewhat cynical phrase "If it bleeds, it leads!" encapsulates this bias by popular demand. If one outlet doesn't closely cover crime another surely will - giving the latter outlet a competitive edge.

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