Local crime plays a pivotal role in shaping people’s sense of security, influencing their decisions and behaviors and helping to shape the broader community safety landscape. But while government statistics show that violent crime is at a 20-year low, many Americans perceive that criminal activity is rising. A new Pew Research Center survey explores how these perceptions are shaped, and what might be driving them.
About three-quarters of Americans (77%) at least sometimes get news and information about local crime, with 34% doing so often. The most common sources of local crime news are TV, friends, family and neighbors, and local law enforcement agencies. Those who most frequently get crime news from local law enforcement agencies and TV are also the most likely to say that they are extremely or very concerned about crime in their communities and how it might affect them or their families.
People who get local crime news most often from local law enforcement agencies and TV are also less likely than those who get it from other sources to say that local news outlets exaggerate the amount of crime in their community. By contrast, those who most frequently get local crime news from social media and locally focused apps or their local news websites are more likely to think that local news outlets exaggerate the level of crime in their community.
Regardless of how people consume crime news, nearly all who get it are interested in knowing what local officials are doing to address the problem. In addition, they are also interested in learning more about underlying causes and broader patterns of local crime, as well as getting tips on how to stay safe.