Researchers point to community violence programs, pandemic recovery in historic homicide decline

Police investigate a crime scene where three people were shot at a housing complex in Chicago. A new survey of nearly 50 crime scholars points to community violence intervention programs, pandemic recovery, and focused deterrence as potential contributors to the historic decline in homicides in the United States. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)As candidates debate public safety ahead of the midterm elections, a new assessment of the nation’s historic homicide decline suggests there is no single explanation for the drop — and that some widely discussed enforcement strategies may have played little role. A survey of nearly 50 crime scholars convened by the nonpartisan Council on Criminal Justice found the strongest support that the top contributing factors to the drop in homicide rates have been community violence intervention programs, the easing of pandemic-related disruptions, and focused deterrence strategies that pair law enforcement with social services. The findings come amid