Understanding local crime trends is an important part of managing a property and protecting the people who work, live, visit, or play at the location. Researching the occurrence of criminal events reported to law enforcement agencies unveils a wealth of information, beyond just personal awareness; it allows managers to prepare and enhance security measures.

Yet despite national and city-wide data showing that most types of violent and property crime are at lower levels than in previous years, many people still report high levels of fear. This disconnect is partly a function of how experts measure and report crime trends and how the public perceives them.

Across all sources, nearly identical shares of Republicans and Democrats (including independents who lean toward either party) say that the news they get about crime in their community makes them feel concerned or upset. But Democratic (including independents who lean Democratic) adults are more likely to say they think the various news sources exaggerate the amount of crime in their area and are unfair to some people based on their race or ethnicity.

Those who get their crime news from friends, family, and neighbors, local news outlets, and local law enforcement are all more satisfied with the quality of the information they receive than those who get it from social media or news websites/apps. However, fewer than half of Americans who get their crime news from any source are extremely or very satisfied with the quality of their news.