Crime in the 2000s
The crime decline continued through the 2000s despite 9/11, the Iraq War, and the Great Recession. America became measurably safer every year.
Key Insights
- →Violent crime rate: 506.5 (2000) → 431.9 (2009) — -14.7%
- →Homicide rate: 5.5 → 5.0 per 100K — -9.4%
- →Property crime rate: 3618.3 → 3041.3 — -15.9%
- →9/11 attacks reshape law enforcement priorities (2001)
Start vs End of Decade
Violent Crime Rate
2000
506.5
↓ 14.7%
2009
431.9
Homicide Rate
2000
5.5
↓ 9.4%
2009
5.0
Property Crime Rate
2000
3618.3
↓ 15.9%
2009
3041.3
Year-by-Year Crime Rates
| Year | Violent Rate | Homicide Rate | Property Rate | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 506.5 | 5.5 | 3618.3 | 281,421,906 |
| 2001 | 504.5 | 5.6 | 3658.1 | 285,317,559 |
| 2002 | 494.4 | 5.6 | 3630.6 | 287,973,924 |
| 2003 | 475.8 | 5.7 | 3591.2 | 290,788,976 |
| 2004 | 463.2 | 5.5 | 3514.1 | 293,656,842 |
| 2005 | 469.0 | 5.7 | 3431.5 | 296,507,061 |
| 2006 | 479.3 | 5.8 | 3346.6 | 299,398,484 |
| 2007 | 471.8 | 5.7 | 3276.4 | 301,621,157 |
| 2008 | 458.6 | 5.4 | 3214.6 | 304,059,724 |
| 2009 | 431.9 | 5.0 | 3041.3 | 307,006,550 |
What Defined This Era
The 2000s proved the crime decline was not a fluke. Even as America faced terrorism, wars, and economic collapse, crime kept falling. Law enforcement shifted resources toward counterterrorism post-9/11, yet domestic crime continued its downward trajectory. The decade saw the rise of surveillance technology and data-driven policing.
Key Events
- •9/11 attacks reshape law enforcement priorities (2001)
- •Department of Homeland Security created (2002)
- •Great Recession (2007-2009)
- •Crime continues declining despite economic crisis
- •Rise of DNA evidence and forensic technology
Policy Changes
- ⚖USA PATRIOT Act (2001)
- ⚖Creation of Department of Homeland Security
- ⚖Federal Assault Weapons Ban expires (2004)
- ⚖Adam Walsh Child Protection Act (2006)
- ⚖Second Chance Act for prisoner reentry (2008)
Notable Cases & Events
- ▸DC Sniper attacks (2002)
- ▸BTK Killer captured (2005)
- ▸Virginia Tech shooting (2007)
- ▸Bernie Madoff arrested (2008)