Top Crimes in the United States: An In-Depth Look

You might be surprised that some of the top crimes in the United States are not the ones that get the most publicity.

I know when I think of criminals I think of murderers, thieves, robbers, gang violence, and car theft, and white collar criminals, but that's not how the common crimes actually play out.

We'll discuss the most common type of crimes in the United States, followed by providing some interesting statistics about criminal offenses. Then we'll discuss the different types of crimes that make the most common crimes list broken down into violent crime, drug offenses, and property crime.

Ultimately, justice statistics show we are spending a lot of money on the most common crimes, but not really getting results from our efforts.

What Are The Most Common Crimes?

Based on FBI data, drugs, assault and theft are the most common crimes in the United States. Many people commit these offenses in our country on a daily basis, but do not get caught. While it makes sense to arrest people and give them jail time for common crimes committed like theft and assault, we should probably find a better way of handling drug offenses.

Top Crimes Statistics In the U.S. 

The FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) are the two primary sources of government crime statistics in the United States, but they leave much to be desired. Only 83% of law enforcement agencies have reported information about specific crimes in 2022 to the FBI data, while the BJS does surveys.

Both statistics sources focus primarily focus primarily on violent and property crime. Both FBI and BJS data show dramatic declines in U.S. violent and property crime rates since the early 1990s.

Crime Statistics Are Unreliable

In 2022, only 41.5% of violent crimes and 31.8% of household property crimes were reported to authorities according to BJS. That means there are between 2.5x to 3x more crimes than reported.

In 2022, police cleared 36.7% of violent crimes and 12.1% of property crimes that were reported to them.

Ok so what that means overall is there is 15.23% of violent crimes are reported and solved.

Meanwhile, only 3.8% of property crime is reported and solved.

So take these numbers with a grain of salt.

Crime Rates Are Going Down

Both the FBI and the BJS agree that crime data shows that crime rates are going down, but they disagree how much.

The U.S. violent and property crime rates each fell 71% between 1993 and 2022 according to BJS statistics.

The U.S. violent crime rate fell 49% between 1993 and 2022 according to FBI data.

The U.S. property crime rate saw a 59% reduction between 1993 and 2022.

Or maybe people stopped reporting because of distrust in government and the low closing rates.

The Pandemic Caused A Huge Spike In Many Violent Crimes

In 2020, the U.S. murder rate saw its largest single-year increase on record since the FBI began tracking such data. Preliminary data for 2023 suggests that the murder rate fell substantially compared to the previous year.

Crime Costs The U.S. Approximately $5 Trillion

The aggregate cost of crime in the United States was estimated at $4.9 trillion in 2021.

These costs include

• Law enforcement

• Criminal justice system

• Victims' losses

• Private deterrence

• Fear and agony

• Lost time avoiding and recovering from a crime

These costs surpass those that people spend on healthcare or food and shelter. When you look at the most common crimes committed you'll find that many of them harm not only harm the direct victims but many harm society as a whole.

Crime Type

There are three main types of crime in the U.S:

• Violent Crime

• Drugs and Alcohol Related Crime

• Property Crime

Drug and alcohol related crime and petty crime takes up most of police departments' time, making it the most common crimes. Meanwhile, property crime is much more common than violent crime in the U.S.

Violent Crime

Violent crimes include murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Aggravated assault is the most common offense among violent crimes. 

The violent crime rate across the nation fell by around 3% in 2023 when compared to the previous year, with murders witnessing an appreciable reduction of 11.6%.

Aggravated assault also decreased by about 2.8%. Despite experiencing only a slight dip of 0.3%, robbery continues to be a significant problem.

We'll look at each of them in more detail. Let's start with murder as that's the website's main focus.

Murder

Murder is the unlawful killing of a another person with intent or disregard for life. Murder declined by 11.6% in 2023 compared to the previous year. It should be noted there was a huge spike in murder during the pandemic.

There are three degrees of murder:

• First Degree Murder: This is premeditated murder and conviction can result in life in prison or the death penalty.

• Second Degree Murder: 2nd degree murder is without premeditation and conviction results in sentences up to life in prison.

• Third Degree Murder: 3rd degree murder is normally reserved for crimes of passion and can also result in sentences of up to life in prison.

Rape/Sexual Assault

Sexual assault involves non-consensual sexual contact. There are between 1,000 and 2,000 sexual abuses arrests each month in the country. Unfortunately, this crime is one that many people do not report, and even less get convicted.

Penalties for sexual assault can range from fines to imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense.

Robbery

Robbery is both a violent crime and a property crime because it involves using force to take a person's money or other assets, but the FBI classifies robbery as a violent crime.

There are between 2,500 and 10,000 robberies each month. This crime Penalties for robbery can include fines and imprisonment, with the severity of the penalty depending on the severity of the offense.

Kidnapping

Kidnapping is the crime of forcibly taking someone against their will. I am a bit surprised we don't keep track of this on a national level especially after all the media reports of kids getting separated from their families by government agencies.

These statistics may be combined with human trafficking statistics though.

Human Trafficking

Human trafficking involves the exploitation of individuals through force, fraud, or coercion. A victim is often kidnapped and then sold to people for sexual purposes. There are less than 100 arrests each month for these crimes in the United States.

This is concerning to me because there are a lot of people who go missing and the whole Epstein files debacle suggests that many of the people who engage in this crime are very powerful people who will never be held accountable.

Assault

Assault includes intentional or reckless bodily harm to another person. Simple assault is the most common type of violent crime in the U.S. with 60K to 90K arrest during most months

Penalties for assault can range from fines to imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense.

Domestic abuse is another category of assault that requires people to be living together. Penalties for domestic violence can include fines, jail time, counseling, community service, and imprisonment, with the severity of the penalty depending on the severity of the offense.

Drugs And DUIs

One of our favorite past times is escapism and it's big business. Whether it's drug possession, drug trafficking, or drinking and driving, American's love getting fucked up. According to the ACLU, more than 1.35 million people are arrested each year for drug offenses.

The FBI breaks the drug arrests based on the type of drug and whether it is possession or trafficking. The largest segment is the unspecified drug abuse charges (pictured above).

Personally I believe illegal possession and trafficking of narcotics should be ended. It would save local law enforcement agencies time and money create a new form of tax revenue, and let police officers focus on more serious criminals like murderers, rapists, stolen property, and white collar crime that is hurting people.

We've seen with prohibition, gambling, and marijuana that making it legal reduced crimes committed including violent incidents. Plus drug charges consistently impact lower incomes more than those with higher incomes.

According to Husker Law penalties for drug offenses can range from fines and probation to lengthy prison sentences. While I think all drugs should be legalized, regulated, and taxed, I do think that people who commit crimes while intoxicated should be penalized more.

Driving under the influence involves operating a vehicle while impaired by drugs or alcohol. Driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated can lead to fines, license suspension, and imprisonment.

Property Crime

Though not as frequently publicized as violent offenses, property crimes profoundly affect a vast number of Americans each year. In 2023, reports indicated that about 6.42 million incidents occurred across the U.S., which is significantly lower than the peak in 1990 when there were approximately 12.66 million cases recorded.

While this marks improvement, concern remains high because various types of property crimes such as burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft continue to be widespread.

Theft (Larceny)

The most common form of property crime is larceny/theft. Theft is the unlawful taking of property without consent. There are more than 45K monthly theft arrests in the United States according to the FBI. Theft has been gradually trending upward since January 2021 after a huge spike and then drop because of the pandemic.

Penalties for theft can vary depending on the value of the stolen property and the offender's criminal history.

Vandalism

Vandalism involves the intentional damage or destruction of another person's property. There are between 7,000 and 15,000 monthly arrests for vandalizing property. These crimes will often require restitution to the victims.

Fraud

Fraud involves deception to obtain property, money, or services. Less than 7,000 people are arrested each month for fraud based on the numbers reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Penalties for fraud can range from fines to imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense and the amount of money involved.

Cybercrime

Cybercrime includes crimes like hacking, identity theft, and cyberbullying. These internet related crimes cost the United States more than $12.5B in 2023. This is one of the fastest types of crime with a 22% growth rate. Learn more.

Embezzlement

Embezzlement involves theft of funds by a person entrusted with those funds. During most months less than 1,500 people are arrested for embezzling money, but since 2020 those numbers have dropped to under 1,000.

Arson

Arson involves intentionally setting fire to property or land. The total number of arrests for arson range between 400 and 2,100 each month. While it's not the most common type of crime, I would imagine that this crime is reported in almost all cases because the fire department is needed to put the fire out.

Burglary

Burglary involves unauthorized entry into a building or dwelling. Since 1990 burglary arrests have dropped from around 30,000 per month to around 10,000 monthly.

Penalties for burglary can include fines and imprisonment, with the severity of the penalty depending on the severity of the offense.

Public Perception Of Crime

While the actual crime statistics may not be accurate, they aren't what matter as much as the public perception of crime.

In every Gallup crime survey since the 1990s, Americans have been much less likely to say crime is up in their area than to say the same about crime nationally. I think this can be attributed to the media's focus on publicizing every horrendous thing that occurs. Check out our article about serial killers and the media for more information on this.

In contrast with their views on their local areas, a growing share of Americans say reducing crime should be a top priority for the President and Congress to address this year. This seems odd to me. If you feel your local area is safe, why focus on crime?

Public attitudes about crime differ widely by Americans' party affiliation, race and ethnicity, and other factors.

Legal Consequences Of Crime

Every crime someone commits has legal consequences which can range from a small fine to jail, and even the death penalty in the case of capital crimes.

There are some really weird laws on the books which we discuss in our blog "Is It Legal?" You should aim to avoid breaking the law whenever possible, but if you do it is critical to get a good lawyer.

 Legal representation is crucial for individuals facing criminal charges to navigate the complexities of the justice system and reduce potential outcomes.

Crime Prevention And Reduction

Effective crime prevention strategies often include community policing, law enforcement collaboration with local groups, economic development, youth mentorship, mental health resources, and restorative justice.

Involving community members in crime prevention initiatives can lead to increased trust between law enforcement and the public. Neighborhood watch programs can empower residents to engage in crime prevention efforts in their communities.

Economic development initiatives can reduce crime rates by improving job opportunities in high-crime areas. The Community Economic Development grants are an example of initiatives with these goals.

Youth mentorship programs can serve as a preventative measure against criminal activities among at-risk children. Programs like the Boys & Girls Club of America are great for this and are always looking for people to help mentor the next generation.

Access to mental health and substance abuse resources is critical in addressing root causes of criminal behavior. The Department of Health and Human Services often helps people get the help they need treating mental health and substance abuse. Find each state's department here.

Restorative justice programs prioritize rehabilitation over punishment and can reduce recidivism rates on average 8%. Some programs have successfully cut repeat offenders rates in half over a three year period.

Conclusion

While the FBI tracks crime that law enforcement agencies report, the data shows there is too much of a focus on drugs and other minor offenses that allow nearly half of more concerning cases like violent crime, rape, burglary, and robbery to go unsolved.

We broke down the most common crimes into the categories of violent crime, drug and DUI, and property crime. Ultimately, statistics showed that the illegal possession of substance are how most people commit crimes, followed by theft, and simple assault.

The country needs to focus it's energy of people who commit crimes that harm society. Using the police to raise funds for the criminal justice system through tickets and drug offenses allows criminals to raise the cost of living for everyone because stolen goods have to be paid for somehow.

Let's start a real conversation about what we define as crime as find ways to improve our society by tackling the circumstances that harm us the most. What would you like to see done differently when people commit crimes?