Trump, of course, is taking credit by removing illegal aliens and filling the streets of “blue cities” with federal troops.

His base will believe that, which is sad, because it detracts from the wonderful on-the-ground work that is changing crime in America, hopefully permanently.

First of all, there is a correlation between opioid overdoses and murders. While the government typically does not provide data on which murders are gang-related, it is reasonable to suggest that gang-warfare is worse when there is a bigger market for drugs. In a declining market, you have fewer dealers, which means fewer gunfights.

Targeted interventions in the US have played a key role in reducing homicide and gang-related violence since 2023, focusing on data-driven enforcement, community partnerships, and violence interruption programs. These efforts, often federally supported, prioritize high-risk individuals, guns, and hotspots while building local trust.

• The DOJ Operation Overdrive and Operation North Star concentrated on apprehending violent criminals, resulting in fewer murders
• Community Violence Intervention uses (mostly) former gang members to reach out to people at risk
• Red flag laws
• Violence prevention offices