Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina faced a fact-check on ABC News’ This Week show regarding his statement that violent crime has surged the most under President Joe Biden’s leadership. Host Jonathan Karl corrected him by citing recent statistics showing a decrease in violent crime and murder rates.
Despite the fact-check, Scott insisted that neighborhoods like the ones he grew up in have been severely impacted during Biden’s presidency. This exchange reflects a broader debate on crime rates and the current administration’s role in addressing them.
An analysis by Poynter using FBI data confirms that violent crime rates have generally decreased during Biden’s tenure, with an overall downward trend since the early 1990s. Experts, including criminologist James Alan Fox, have affirmed this trend, with a Pew Research Center report indicating a growing concern among Americans about reducing crime.
While challenges remain in accurately measuring crime rates, official data demonstrates significant declines in both violent and property crime rates over the past few decades. Newsweek is committed to questioning conventional wisdom and seeking common ground on complex issues like crime rates.