Leading Scholars Identify Potential Drivers of Historic US Homicide Decline November 9, 2026 In October, the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ), published a report on the findings of its Homicide Decline Research Summit, held at Arizona State University’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, from September 18 to 19. The HFG-supported convening brought together four-dozen scholars to examine nearly 50 potential drivers of a historic, and unexpected, decline in homicide in the United States. Six factors drew substantial agreement among the researchers as leading contributors to the decrease, including expanded community violence intervention programs, bolstered use of focused deterrence, increased local government capacity, and more proactive policing enforcement. Scholars concluded that increased immigration enforcement, National Guard deployments, and homeless encampment removals were less likely to have contributed to the homicide drop. “The drop in homicide over the past four years is one of the most significant public safety developments in decades,” said Adam Gelb, president and CEO of the Council on Criminal Justice in the press release. “Theories and claims abound, and sorting among them is essential if we’re going to sustain the progress. This diverse array of researchers took the challenge seriously, testing competing explanations, debating the evidence, and making tough judgments. Their effort leaves the country with a much clearer picture of what likely contributed, what probably did not, and what we still need to learn.” Read the full report here and visit www.counciloncj.org for more information about their research on crime and criminal justice in the United States.
