RALEIGH — North Carolina crime rates dropped in the first half of 2026, with new state data showing declines in every major category tracked by law enforcement.
The Criminal Justice Analysis Center presented the figures to the Governor’s Crime Commission last week. It marked the third straight year crime numbers have fallen.
Property crime dropped nearly 12%, the largest decline of the four categories. Violent crime decreased 6%, while financial crime dipped about 2%, keeping pace with a gradual decline that’s held since 2024. Drug offenses fell roughly 3% after climbing throughout 2025 — a reversal analysts flagged as encouraging but not yet proof of a lasting trend.
Car theft and forgery-related offenses recorded the sharpest drops among individual crime types, both down more than 20% year over year. Extortion and blackmail were the lone exception to the downward trend, continuing an upward climb that’s persisted since 2020.
Gun crime moved in different directions depending on the offense. Firearm homicides fell more than 14% and other gun-related offenses dropped 8%, while weapons violations rose about 2%.
Not every category improved. Kidnapping and abduction cases rose 4.6%, and intimidation offenses climbed 8.2%, with intimate partners linked to 54% of the kidnapping cases and much of the intimidation total — a pattern analysts said could point to rising intimate partner violence and stalking even as broader violent crime falls.
“These insights will help our law enforcement agencies understand where we are seeing success and where emerging needs are developing,” Governor’s Crime Commission executive director Caroline Farmer said. “Strong trend information allows us to respond more effectively, support victims and ensure resources are committed to the right initiatives.”
North Carolina’s federally designated statistical analysis center operates within the Governor’s Crime Commission under the Department of Public Safety. It tracks statewide crime, court and custody data, runs the public N.C. Justice Data Portal and leads a multiagency effort to align justice data across the state.
