The United States has long enjoyed a steady decline in violent crime, going back to the 1990s. But, last year, reports of murder, rape, and similar violent acts increased in this country for the first time since 2006, with the biggest increase in the West as well as in major U.S. metropolitan areas.

In the Western U.S., violent crime rose 3.3% in 2012, according to data released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Increases also occurred in cities with populations of between 500,000 and one million residents, where violent crime rose by 3.7%. This included a 12.5% jump in murder rates.

Cities with more than one million people had modest bumps in violent crimes, coming in at 1.4%. But rapes really jumped, up by 3.2%, while murders rose 1.5%.

Over all, violent crimes in the U.S. went up by 1.2% in 2012 after years of steep declines.

From 1996 to 2005, violent crime declined by 17.6%.

It rose in 2006, by 1.9%, before falling again in subsequent years.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Violent Crime in U.S. Rises for First Time Since 2006 (by Timothy Williams, New York Times)

Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report, January-December, 2012 (Federal Bureau of Investigation)

15,890 Americans Victims of Violent Crime Every Day (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)    

More than 3 Million Violent Crimes in U.S. go Unreported Every Year (by Matt Bewig)

If Violent Crime Rate is at 40-Year Low, Why is U.S. Spending S100 Billion a Year on Police? (by Noel Brinkerhoff and David Wallechinsky, AllGov)