This week, we're checking back in on one of the biggest stories of the year: the murder rate's record decline.
So, we've got the nation's most widely-cited crime data analyst on the show to explain what's going on. Jeff Asher of AH Datalytics runs a crime database that updates weekly, but manages to track closely to the FBI's reports. However, he's able to report crime trends months or even years before the FBI.
Asher said the latest news is very good.
Murder is on a record decline as we move through the halfway point of 2025. Asher said the murder decline isn't just happening at a record pace, but it's likely to end at a record low as well. He noted the decline is nationwide and puts some cities below the raw number of murders seen in previous decades, not just the murder per capita rate.
Asher also analyzed some of the common reasons offered up for why murder has fallen, and said it's not easy to explain. But he also gives his preferred theory.