Where Our Data Comes From
The Murder Channel pulls from the FBI's Crime Data Explorer (CDE), which aggregates incident-level data from nearly 18,000 law enforcement agencies across the United States. This is the same data used by researchers, journalists, and policymakers to understand crime trends.
We update our database regularly as new data becomes available. Each record includes city, state, date, victim count, weapon type, and case status.
What We Track
We track homicide incidents — defined as the willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another. This includes murder and non-negligent manslaughter as classified by the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program.
We do not include:
- Justifiable homicides (e.g., self-defense)
- Deaths caused by negligence
- Traffic fatalities
- Suicides
Geographic Coverage
Our map covers cities and municipalities that report to the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Coverage varies by state — some states have near-complete participation, others have significant gaps.
States with the most comprehensive data include Texas, Colorado, and South Carolina. California, Florida, and New York have historically lagged on NIBRS adoption, though that gap has narrowed in recent years.
Data Limitations
No dataset is perfect. Here's what to keep in mind:
- Reporting gaps: Not all agencies report to the FBI. Rural and smaller agencies may be underrepresented.
- Classification differences: States and agencies may classify similar incidents differently.
- Lag time: FBI data is typically published 12–18 months after the reporting year ends.
We supplement FBI data with other public sources when available, including state-level crime dashboards and local police department open data portals.
Why This Matters
Homicide is the ultimate indicator of community safety. Unlike other crimes, it's rarely underreported. A city's homicide count is the hardest data point to hide.
By making this data visual, searchable, and accessible, we believe citizens, journalists, and policymakers can make better decisions about public safety priorities. The first step to solving a problem is measuring it honestly.