Crime is fascinating, and murder is the most fascinating crime. Every night, millions of Americans watch fictionalized accounts of the most violent act of all, followed by fictionalized attempts to discover, solve, and punish it. Here are some raw numbers to go with our intuitions and popular depictions. (Figures not specified as percentages are per 100,000 people.)
- In 2005, the homicide rate in the US was 5.6.
- In 2011, it was 4.8. It has been steadily declining since 1991.
- In 2010, the international homicide rate was 6.9. For Europe, 3.5.
- In 2008, there were 883,600 law enforcement officers in the US. In 2010, 56 law enforcement officers were killed. Using the first figure, this is a murder rate of 6.34.
- In 2004, the national clearance rate for murder cases was 64.8%.
- In 2008, this clearance rate was 94% in San Diego, and 22% in New Orleans.
- In 2005, the suicide rate in the US was 11.0. The person likeliest to kill you is you.
