Boston may ring in the new year with its fewest homicides and shootings in a single year for the second year in a row. In 2023, the city reported 37 homicides, its lowest number ever since the Boston Regional Intelligence Center began counting. The murder rate of 5.29 per 100,000 residents was the city’s lowest in the 21st century. This year, Boston has reported 22 homicides – a little over half of the 40 it had just two years ago., What is the city doing right? The historic decline began early. In the first quarter, the city of 654,000 residents saw the largest drop among all big U.S. metropolises: Homicides plunged 82% compared with the same period last year, ahead of second-best Philadelphia (37%), reports the Christian Science Monitor. There were only three homicides by June. Even during the summer months, there were just 17 reported by the end of September – a 60% reduction year to year.
Gun violence remains the leading cause. with fatal shootings accounting for 18 of this year’s 22 homicides.. Shootings also reached record lows in the city, signaling a broader decline in violent crime. Last year, Mayor Michelle Wu announced a plan to cut homicides and shootings by 20% by 2026. The city has surpassed that target Public safety experts point to the tight-knit network of neighborhood associations and community-based organizations focusing on young people at risk for violence. Police Commissioner Michael Cox credited an increase in anonymous tips and the growing trust and cooperation of Boston’s residents. Criminologist Jack McDevitt of Northeastern University said, "There seems to be a renewed effort to include the community in the process of public safety." He also cites Massachusetts’ low gun ownership rate and stricter gun laws. While Boston remains an outlier, overall reported violent crime and homicides have continued to drop in 2024 in the United States, after a spike during the pandemic. When compared with cities with similar population sizes as Boston, Washington reported 274 homicides, last year, Baltimore 259, and San Francisco 53.
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