2024 DC Violent Crime Rate Decrease: A Fact Sheet

•           Media outlets have recently reported that violent crime is down dramatically in the District of Columbia.  Overall, violent crime is down 35% and on trend to be at its lowest level since MPD began reporting the number roughly 20 years ago.  Carjackings involving firearms are down 55%.

•          Policing and Prosecution can influence violent crime numbers, but it cannot control them.  Here is what the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has been doing to influence these numbers:

• In early 2022, our law enforcement partners formed investigative teams cross-staffed with federal law enforcement agents and MPD officers.  Our Office dedicated specific prosecutors to support these teams in building federal cases against drivers of gun violence.
   
• In April 2022, we launched a daily review by our Office, federal law enforcement partners, and MPD of every firearms arrest in the District of Columbia to determine whether a basis exists for federal prosecution, and, if a basis exists, whether the data suggests the person arrested is a driver of gun violence who should be prosecuted federally.  This coordinated review of those arrested with illegal firearms still occurs every day.
   
• We dedicated resources to using 21st century investigative techniques to develop digital and forensic evidence tying our most prolific drivers of violence to dozens of violent crimes.
   
• We used sophisticated data analysis to determine where large-scale investigations should occur and which individuals should be subject to them.

•           In mid-2023, our Office began announcing a series of prominent federal cases aimed at violent crews engaged in carjackings, shootings, illegal firearms possession, and drug trafficking resulting from these investigations.

•           Simultaneously, our Office continued to prosecute roughly 90% of the most serious violent felony arrests at the time of arrest and continued to investigate the limited number that could not be charged at the time of arrest. 

•           Because one homicide is one too many and one carjacking is one too many, the Office continues to innovate and refine its approach in homicide and carjacking investigations, leveraging new technology with a goal of each new investigation being better and more efficient than the last.

•           The steep drop in violent crime we have seen in the first half of 2024 is good news, but our Office remains firmly focused on doing everything we can to continue this trend.  We have a number of important ongoing investigations designed to keep the community safe, and every week we remove from our community known drivers of gun violence.

•           To keep up the momentum, we need a whole of community response, including addressing the root causes of crime and maintaining a community-based intervention system that deescalates conflict before it results in violence.