Highlights
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According to Gallup, 17 percent of Democrats believe that crime in the US is not serious, compared to just one percent of Republicans.
This implies that over 80 percent of Democrats regard crime as a significant national issue.
Despite numerous articles and podcasts highlighting a decline in reported US crime, progressive crime platforms seem to have limited influence among Democrats, as 83 percent still view crime as a serious concern in the United States.
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Author
Leonard Adam Sipes, Jr.
Former Senior Specialist for Crime Prevention and Statistics for the Department of Justice’s clearinghouse. Former Director of Information Services, National Crime Prevention Council. Former Adjunct Associate Professor of Criminology and Public Affairs at the University of Maryland, University College. Former police officer. Retired federal senior spokesperson.
Former advisor to presidential and gubernatorial campaigns. Former advisor to the “McGruff-Take a Bite Out of Crime” national media campaign. Produced successful state anti-crime media campaigns.
Thirty-five years of directing award-winning (50+) public relations for national and state criminal justice agencies. Interviewed thousands of times by every national news outlet, often with a focus on crime statistics and research. Created the first state and federal podcasting series. Produced a unique and emulated style of government proactive public relations.
Certificate of Advanced Study-The Johns Hopkins University.
Author of ”Success With The Media: Everything You Need To Survive Reporters and Your Organization,” available at Amazon and additional bookstores.
Crime in America.Net-“Trusted Crime Data, Made Clear.”
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A comprehensive overview of crime in recent years is available at “Violent and Property Crime Rates In The U.S.“
Article
In my article titled “Are Americans Stupid When It Comes To Crime?” I noted that reported crimes to law enforcement are declining nationwide. However, Gallup indicates that the fear of crime remains significantly high.
CBS News: “Californians voice concerns ahead of elections: ‘There is crime on every level.” CBS provided a video discussing crime, with numerous Los Angeles residents asserting that crime is rampant.
Sixty-seven percent of likely voters say that concerns about lawlessness in Los Angeles and the state will influence their voting decisions. Interviewees expressed that their city and state are unsafe.
If 67 percent of voters in Los Angeles and its surroundings consider crime a concern in such a liberal and predominantly Democratic city, what implications does this have for local and state politics?
Reader’s Question
A reader inquired whether a majority of that 67 percent are Democrats.
Gallup data offers a partial insight.
Democrats
Some argue that Democrats are indifferent to the crime issue. However, both locally and nationally, many Democrats find the crime issue troubling. They express skepticism towards progressive solutions and prioritize safety for themselves and their families.
Per Gallup, 17 percent of Democrats believe crime in the US is not serious, compared to just one percent of Republicans.
This means that, according to Democrats, 83 percent view US crime as a serious issue.
These insights are derived from Americans’ perceptions of 30 aspects of the country and related aspects of their lives, as measured in Gallup polls between February 2025 and January 2026. On average, 27 percent of Democrats rated these conditions positively, while 67 percent rated them negatively.
Political Parties and Crime
Sixty percent of Democrats state that crime in their own area is not serious, whereas 53 percent of Republicans share this view.
Seventeen percent of Democrats believe crime in the US is not serious, compared to one percent of Republicans.
Partial Chart
Bashing
The ongoing criticism of both Democrats and Republicans regarding crime is unproductive. There are Democrats who advocate for a tough stance on crime, and there are Republicans and Independents who support less intrusive government approaches, including alternatives to incarceration. The intersection of politics and crime is more complex than it appears.
However, with 17 percent of Democrats stating that crime in the US is not serious, compared to one percent of Republicans, this indicates that 83 percent of Democrats view crime as a serious concern.
Much of the daily information I encounter regarding crime policy is sourced from sites funded by “progressive” foundations, which often downplay the current impact of crime. These sites assert that crime is declining and propose what they consider enlightened (less harsh) policies.
I estimate that progressive foundations and sites dominate 80 percent (or more) of the crime policy discussion, exerting significant influence on media and political discourse.
Conflicting National Crime Statistics
The FBI reports a decline in violent and property crimes beginning in 2023 (3 percent) and 2024 (4.5 percent). The latest data on the FBI’s website indicates that the trend continues downward.
However, the USDOJ’s Bureau of Justice Statistics 50-year-old National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS, regarded by the US Census and USDOJ as the premier method for counting crimes in America) showed a substantial increase in violent crime rates in 2022 (44 percent). Rates have remained relatively stable for 2023 and the most recent full report for 2024.
Possibly 80 percent (or more) of crime-related media articles and podcasts do not mention the USDOJ’s National Crime Victimization Survey.
Journalists and commentators cannot overlook what is considered the leading source of crime statistics in the US while claiming accuracy, journalistic integrity, or impartiality.
Conclusions
It is noteworthy that despite decades of writing and podcasts emphasizing a decline in reported crime, progressive crime sites have not made significant progress with Democrats (and the broader American public), as 83 percent still view crime as a serious issue in the United States.
The findings suggest that most Democrats continue to see crime as a major national concern, irrespective of whether they think reported crime rates have increased or decreased.
Appendix: Fear of Crime Is Falling?
In a separate report, Gallup notes a slight decline in the fear of crime from national records. Polling data can vary depending on the wording. In this report on US crime, 31 percent of Democrats express a great deal of worry about crime. In contrast, 41 percent of Republicans and Independents share this level of concern, which is Gallup’s highest. Including other categories of concern (e.g., moderately serious), the majority of Americans still express worries about crime.
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See More
See more articles on crime and justice at Crime in America.
Most Dangerous Cities/States/Countries at Most Dangerous Cities.
US Crime Rates at Nationwide Crime Rates.
National Offender Recidivism Rates at Offender Recidivism.
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