Peach Tree Times

Georgia's crime rate is on the rise and according to a new Gallup poll, for the first time since 2016, a majority of Americans assert that they are greatly worried about crime. 

As a Washington Post columnist points out, this is the unfortunate opinion of voters across the board. In Georgia, the violent crime rate was said to have gone up almost 18% from 2019 to 2020.

"While overall crime has not reached levels seen in the 1980s and ’90s, the homicide rate has been increasing in recent years. Whatever the relative crime rate, voters see the current rate as unacceptable," said Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin on April 18. 

Results of the April Gallup survey show that 53% of Americans personally worry a "great deal" about crime in the country – a finding that represents the first time since 2016 that a "great deal" of worry has reached majority. An additional 27% indicated they worry a "fair amount," which places the issue of crime close to the top of the list of 14 national concerns – behind just inflation and the economy.

Back in October 2021, Gallup survey results showed 51% of Americans said there is more crime in their local area, up from 38% in 2020. The website also reported the last time a majority of Americans perceived crime as being up in their area was in 2009, and the last time it exceeded 51% was in 1992 (then 54%).

Rubin said that it is not only white Republicans who are alarmed by hikes in crime, citing a new Pew Research Center survey which demonstrated that among Black voters, 17% identified crime or violence as their No. 1 issue. Rubin said the president and other Democrats have been treating crime as just a gun issue. A two-day national poll in June by Reuters/Ipsos showed that 52% of Americans do not approve of Biden's job performance. Behind economic concerns, crime is the second most salient issue, according to Americans.

Just 38% of voters support the president’s handling of crime, according to an April ABC-Ipsos poll, Politico reported. Georgia's violent crime increased by a percentage of 17.4% from 2019 to 2020. The current rate stands at 400 incidents per 100,000 people, which is higher than in most other states, The Center Square reported.

The majority of violent crimes reported in the state during that year – 73.4% – were cases of aggravated assault. The surge in violent crime in the southern state was powered by a surge in homicide cases as well. In 2020, 943 murders were reported in Georgia, representing a 44.2% increase from 654 murders during 2019, according to The Center Square.