The updated FBI data for 2022 shows there were 1,699 more murders than originally reported, 7,780 more rapes, over 33,000 more robberies, and over 37,000 more aggravated assaults.
In a significant and quietly released update, the FBI has revised its 2022 crime statistics, revealing that violent crime rose by 4.5%, rather than the previously reported decline. The updated data shows that there were 1,699 more murders, 7,780 more rapes, over 33,000 additional robberies, and more than 37,000 aggravated assaults than originally reported.
This correction comes months after President Joe Biden, citing the initial report, boasted of a dramatic decrease in violent crime during his administration. “Last year, we also saw one of the lowest rates of all violent crime in nearly 50 years,” Biden claimed in a June 2024 speech. However, the FBI’s earlier report, published in September 2023, was incomplete, missing data from thousands of police precincts across the country.
Media outlets, including ABC News, had previously fact-checked former President Trump’s claims about rising crime during his administration, with anchor David Muir stating that Trump’s assertions were false. Now, with the FBI's updated figures contradicting Biden's narrative, Muir and ABC News owe Trump and voters a correction regarding their previous statements about crime trends.
Crime experts and media outlets, including Breitbart News, had flagged concerns about the initial report’s accuracy, prompting renewed scrutiny of the administration’s claims on crime. The revised figures paint a far grimmer picture than the initial narrative.
Professor Carl Moody, a crime researcher at the College of William & Mary, expressed surprise at the scope of the revision. "The huge changes in 2021 and 2022, especially without an explanation, make it difficult to trust the FBI data," he said, noting that such large corrections are unprecedented in recent history.
The updated crime figures will likely fuel ongoing political debates over the Biden-Harris administration's handling of crime and public safety as the 2024 election approaches.
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