NPA Podcast with Guest, Leonard Sipes, Researcher, Media Relations, Owner of CrimeinAmerica.Net

Leonard Sipes returns to the National Police Association Podcast for a wide-ranging discussion with host Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith (Ret.) about the state of crime in America, why different government statistics can produce dramatically different pictures of public safety, the explosion of fraud and cybercrime, the decline of proactive policing, and the consequences of decarceration. Sipes has spent nearly five decades working in and around the criminal justice system and is the founder of CrimeInAmerica.net, where he analyzes crime statistics, criminal justice research, policing, corrections, and public safety.A central issue in the conversation is the difference between FBI reported-crime statistics and the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS).As Sipes explains, FBI statistics largely reflect crimes reported to law enforcement. But a substantial share of crime is never reported. The NCVS attempts to capture that hidden crime by surveying Americans about their experiences as victims. According to Sipes, the NCVS reported a 44% increase in violent crime in 2022, followed by no statistically significant change in 2023 and 2024. Meanwhile, FBI statistics have shown decreases in reported violent crime, with homicides and shootings also declining in many cities. That apparent contradiction helps explain why Americans can hear that "crime is down" while remaining deeply concerned about their safety.In This EpisodeWhy Americans' fear of crime remains an important measure of public safetyFBI crime statistics vs. the National Crime Victimization SurveyWhy so much violent and property crime is never reported to policeWhat declining homicide numbers do—and don't—tell us about crimeWhether local law enforcement has the resources to investigate cybercrimeThe decline of proactive policing since 2014 and 2020Research on proactive policing and crime reductionThe risks officers assume during proactive stopsDecarceration, prison capacity, and the reality of who is incarceratedViolent crime and the victimization of Black AmericansAbout Leonard SipesLeonard Sipes has nearly five decades of experience with crime, criminal justice, public affairs, and government. Through CrimeInAmerica.net, he analyzes crime statistics and research involving policing, corrections, victimization, criminal justice policy, and public safety.Listeners can visit CrimeInAmerica.net and subscribe to receive his articles by email.