America’s murder rate hasn’t been this low in 70 years

Ask any American what they think about crime in the country, and chances are they’ll say it’s getting worse. But here’s a bit of good news: The murder rate actually just fell to its lowest level in 70 years, while violent crime saw its steepest single-year decline since the FBI began keeping national estimates in 1936.

The truly strange part is that no one can fully explain why. 

But Baltimore — a city long associated with the country’s murder problem — may hold one piece of the answer. In his latest Good News column, Bryan Walsh looks at several solutions that have helped drive shootings dramatically down. The data offers a hopeful lesson: We don’t need to solve the entire mystery of violence before we can start saving lives.

If you value journalism that invests real energy in exploring the ways that the world is actually getting better, consider becoming a Vox member.

—Paige Vega, editorial director

America’s murder rate hasn’t been this low in 70 years

The country’s murder drop is still a mystery. Baltimore may help explain one piece of it.

by Bryan Walsh

This transplant surgery could save countless lives. Why aren’t we doing more of them?

by Anusha Subramanian

You can give part of your liver away while you’re still alive, but we need better medical infrastructure if we’re going to make the most of them.

Cage-free eggs are worse for the climate. Does it matter?

by Marina Bolotnikova

Here’s what to consider instead.

How to rebuild your broken attention span

by Adam Clark Estes

You’re taking breaks wrong.

Read more >>>