America’s homicide rate has never been anything to brag about, but for a while it seemed to be heading in the right direction. It fell by half in the two decades between 1993 and 2013, thanks to a mix of increased incarceration, the modernized policing tactics exemplified by Giuliani-era New York, and an ever-debatable mix of other factors.

Since then, however, we’ve seen increases in 2015, 2016, 2020, and 2021, wiping out about half of that progress. This is a dire situation that cuts thousands of lives short and forces entire communities to live in fear.