One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
Homicide rate is dropping in U.S. cities, new report finds
Long Beach had a 37% drop in homicides in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.
(
Christina House
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)
Topline:
Long Beach had a 37% drop in homicides in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to an analysis by the Council on Criminal Justice. The homicide rate is also 11% below what it was before COVID in 2019.
Why it matters: Adam Gelb, president and CEO of the Council on Criminal Justice, said the numbers in Long Beach and other cities are moving in the right direction, but that there’s more research that needs to be done. ”History has shown that violence can rise again without warning. So we can't be complacent. We need to keep figuring out what works and keep doing that,” he said.
Why the drop: Gelb said there are some theories — especially that the pandemic is over and access to support services and prevention programs are more available.
Positive trends elsewhere: The report found other U.S. cities' homicide rates are getting back to pre-pandemic levels, too. And the city of Los Angeles recently reported a 21% decline in homicides in 2025, compared to the same time period last year.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
