Americans’ views on crime often diverge from actual crime trends, report says

By: Amanda Watford

Outlets: Stateline

Published: May 4, 2026

Words: 473

Last Updated: 2 months, 3 weeks ago

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Americans’ views on crime often don’t match reality — and a new report suggests those perceptions are shaped as much by personal experiences and economic conditions as by crime itself.

The analysis, released by the nonprofit think tank Council on Criminal Justice, draws on decades of Gallup survey data to examine how people perceive crime and what drives those beliefs. The report’s authors found that, since the 1960s, public perceptions of crime have frequently …

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