Survey Shows Reducing Crime As Top Priority For Voters In November Election

The FBI, along with other federal agencies, say nationwide crime is down. But it's still one of the main issues on voters' minds when they express what they're most concerned about heading into the November election.

Skyler Henry went beyond the numbers to learn whether the U.S. has a crime problem, or one unified message.

Sixty-three percent of registered voters say the issue is a major factor in who they'll vote for in November.

John Gramlich, at the Pew Research Center, said the disconnect between the data and how it lands is complicated.

"The perception is almost as important as the reality in a lot of ways, even if crime stats show a decline, if people are concerned about crime, they might vote on that concern. And so it does have real political implications," Gramlich said.

A 2024 Pew Research Survey found Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are much more likely than Democrats to say reducing crime should be a top priority for the president and congress.

About an hour outside of Washington sits Purcellville, Virginia. It's not a big town, but they're touting a big recognition.

Home security review site Safewise said Purcellville is the safest community in the state.

Interim Police Chief Dave Daley said that's not a fluke, as his department deploys a combination of community outreach and crime prevention messaging.

"Because our number of actual reported incidents are low, we're able to engage in proactive policing. In fact, our officers engaged in about 15,000 proactive policing events," Daley said.

It's the strategy American University Professor Janice Iwama says is needed.

"To push them, to provide, to produce data and statistics that illustrates what is going on today and to engage in a conversation with community members," Iwama said.

And in turn, Iwama adds, it creates a better-informed electorate in their communities and at the polls.