• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, September 2, 2024

Americans have several sources of local crime news. And none are dominant, judging by a new study from the Pew-Knight Initiative.

Of the consumers polled, 77% at least sometimes get news about local crime, 34% get crime news often. The sources are:

• Friends, family and neighbors—71%
• Local news outlets—70%
• Social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram)—53%
• Local police or law enforcement—41%
• Locally focused apps or sites (e.g., Nextdoor, Ring)—36% 
• Local politicians—23%

But few people are highly satisfied with local crime news. They see the following sources as at least somewhat accurate:

• Local news outlets—79%
• Local law enforcement—77%
• Friends, family and neighbors—72% 

However, individuals who get local crime news from social media, locally focused apps and friends and family are more likely to say it is exaggerated. And most do not find crime news easy to access.

People who follow local crime news are most interested in these aspects:

• What local officials are doing to address crime—85%
• Details of crimes—84%
• Underlying causes of local crime—81%
• Tips about how to stay safe—77%
• Broader patterns in local crime—77%

Consumption varies by age. People age 65+ are most likely to get crime news from local outlets, versus 12% of those in the 18-29 age group. The younger cohort is more inclined to seek it on social media (28%) and search engines (28%). 

Moreover, 84% in the 65+ group seek crime news, compared to those aged 50-64 (82%), 30-49 (74%) and 18-29 (68%).  

Pew states that 45% of Black Americans often consume local crime news, while 34% of those in the Hispanic demographic do so, 32% of whites and 30% of Asians do.

Among individuals who often get news about local crime, 98% are concerned about it, 33% very much so.  

Those who follow crime news prefer these channels:

• TV—46% 
• Print—33% 
• Social media—28% 
• News website or app—27% 
• Radio—27%

Pew-Knight surveyed 5,146 Americans in January 2024.