Despite the fact that aggregate crime has fallen across much of the country in recent years, many Americans believe it’s rising in their communities. Whether this is the result of sensationalized media coverage or a persistent fear of being victimized at specific locations that may not change much in the face of overall reductions, it raises questions about what might be driving perceptions of local crime.
A substantial share of Americans who follow local news say they often get news about crimes in their community, with TV viewers most likely to see stories on this topic. These Americans are more likely to report seeing news about violent and property crime on a daily basis than those who follow local news on other platforms.
Most of those who get local crime news feel satisfied with the quality of this information, though just 9% say they think local news outlets exaggerate the amount of crime in their community. In contrast, a slightly larger share (16%) say they think local news outlets underplay the amount of crime in their community.
However, just 22% of those who follow local crime news say they find it very or somewhat easy to stay informed about broader patterns in their community’s crime data. Similarly, only 15% of this group finds it very or somewhat easy to learn about what local officials are doing to address local crime trends. Many local law enforcement agencies offer citizens the opportunity to sign up for local crime alerts, which provide updates on occurrences in their communities as they happen and encourage a sense of shared vigilance among residents.