Is violent crime getting better or worse?
The national conversation around surveillance cameras and personal privacy has grown as Americans debate the pros and cons of cameras used by law enforcement throughout their communities. Proponents of the technology say license plate readers can help expedite criminal investigations and could bring down crime rates, while opponents say the cameras represent a gross overreach of their privacy and can be used for stalking and harassment.
Whether supporting the cameras or not, it's important to follow the actual trend of violent crime from year to year, and after the first few months of 2026, data shows that violent crime has actually gone down.
In a recent report from the Major Cities Chiefs Association,
violent crime decreased across four categories in the first months of this year compared to 2025.
Here's what to know.
Atlanta violent crime rates down in 2026
According to the report, violent crime from Jan. 1, 2026 to March 31, 2026 in Atlanta went down in three out of four categories.
There were 25 homicides reported during the same time period in 2025, but only 16 reported in 2026. Rape cases dropped from 25 in 2025 to 21 in 2026. Robberies decreased from 155 last year to 117 this year.
Only the number of aggravated assaults in Atlanta went up year-over-year, with 639 cases in 2025 and 773 cases in 2026.
Data was also reported from DeKalb County specifically, which saw a net neutral change in crime from last year.
In DeKalb, homicides went up from 16 to 18, and rapes increased from 35 to 46. Robberies, however, decreased from 165 to 125, and aggravated assaults decreased from 897 in 2025 to 759 in 2026.
Violent crime down nationally
The entire country is experiencing a similar trend in major cities.
Homicides are down 17.7% overall and robberies are down by more than 20%. Rape cases have decreased by about 7% and aggravated assaults are down by nearly 5%, according to the data.
Some cities are doing better than others.
Houston's homicides decreased from 77 to 49, while the city's rapes decreased from 371 to 260. Assaults and robberies also decreased a significant amount in the city.
Oklahoma City saw increases in homicides, rapes and robberies, while aggravated assaults only decreased by eight year-over-year.
The full dataset can be found here.
Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Atlanta's violent crime has gone down since 2025. Here are the stats
