Los Angeles experienced a significant reduction in violent crime in 2024, with homicides decreasing by 14 percent and shooting victims by 19 percent compared to the previous year. Criminology Associate Professor Peter Hanink says that violent crimees appear to be declining nationwide, noting a societal shift between generations. "Most kids have afterschool activities,” he says. “A lot of kids are going to college, a lot more kids are getting jobs. Unemployment is at historic lows. One of the things we know about homicides is that it's associated with poverty.”
This article was originally published by KCAL News/CBS Los Angeles on July 9, 2025.
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