The Hidden Crime Wave: A 20-Year Investigative Report on the Underreporting of Crime in the United States (2005–2025)
Executive Summary
For two decades, investigative journalists, auditors, and whistleblowers have uncovered evidence that police agencies across the United States have suppressed, misclassified, or failed to report crimes.
These actions distort the truth about public safety, shape political narratives, and undermine trust in law enforcement.
San Diego’s KGTV 10News investigation (2007–2008) is one of the most comprehensive public examinations of the issue, documenting direct whistleblower testimony, victim accounts, and statistical comparisons showing systematic suppression of crime reports.
When placed alongside confirmed cases in Atlanta, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Baltimore, New Orleans, Austin, and New York City, and national reporting gaps due to the FBI’s NIBRS transition, a disturbing pattern emerges.
San Diego, CA (2007–2008) – KGTV 10News: “Policing the Police”
Key Findings
Suppression of reports: Victims and officers alleged that crimes — including assaults, robberies, and attempted rapes — were intentionally not documented to keep official numbers low.
Statistical anomalies:
In 2004, SDPD took reports in less than 8% of calls for service.
LAPD’s rate: 21%; San Diego County Sheriff’s: 23% — nearly triple SDPD’s reporting rate.
Whistleblower testimony:
Former El Cajon officer Kevin LaChapelle reported hearing from SDPD insiders about directives to “try not to be taking any reports unless you absolutely have to.”
Veteran SDPD officer Craig Myram: “They’re doing the same thing as Enron — cooking the books and claiming things are getting better when they’re getting worse.”
Victim impact:
Lisa, attacked in Mission Valley, had her report promised — but never filed.
A robbery victim was told it was “too late” to do anything — no report filed.
Hit-and-run victims were discouraged from seeking ambulance care to avoid paperwork.
Patrol shortages:
Some entire beats went unstaffed for full shifts.
High-crime neighborhoods went without patrol presence.
Example: La Jolla sometimes covered by just two officers; large northeastern district staffed by six officers total across vast neighborhoods.
Chief’s response: Chief William Lansdowne denied manipulation, calling comparisons “apples to oranges,” and defended SDPD’s low crime rates.
Other Major U.S. Cases of Underreporting
Atlanta, GA (2002–2004)
An internal audit found 3.2% of UCR Part I crimes underreported.
Some crimes were downgraded to lesser categories.
(CDC, 2015)
Washington, D.C. (2025)
A Metropolitan Police commander was disciplined and reassigned for altering crime classifications.
Overdose deaths were allegedly coded as “natural” instead of drug-related to reduce crime totals.
(NBC Washington, 2025)
Los Angeles, CA (2014–2015)
City audit found 14,000+ aggravated assaults misclassified as minor crimes.
Audit estimated the city’s 2014 aggravated assault count was underreported by ~23%.
(Los Angeles Times, 2015)
Milwaukee, WI (2012)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel exposed hundreds of serious assaults misclassified as minor incidents to artificially reduce violent crime stats.
Baltimore, MD (2010)
Baltimore Sun revealed the police routinely “unfounded” rape cases — marking them as “no crime” without proper investigation.
New Orleans, LA (2014)
City Inspector General and DOJ reports found the sex crimes unit misclassified rapes as non-criminal events, leaving cases uninvestigated.
Austin, TX (2018–2022)
ProPublica/Newsy found overuse of “exceptional clearance” to close sexual assault cases without arrest, inflating clearance rates and understating open cases.
New York City, NY (2010–2013)
The Village Voice “NYPD Tapes” and internal integrity reviews documented CompStat-driven downgrading of felonies to misdemeanors.
Common Underreporting Tactics
Misclassification/Downgrading:
Redefining aggravated assaults as simple assaults; rapes as “other sex offenses.”
Unfounding:
Labeling a reported incident “no crime” without basis, particularly in sex crimes.
Discouraging Reports:
Telling victims it’s “too late” or “nothing can be done” to avoid paperwork.
Exceptional Clearance Misuse:
Closing cases without arrest when a suspect is identified but not prosecuted.
Non-Reporting to FBI (NIBRS Transition):
Thousands of agencies failed to submit 2021–2022 data after FBI switched to NIBRS-only reporting, creating a national blind spot.
National-Level Data Integrity Crisis
The NIBRS Gap (2021–2023)
On Jan. 1, 2021, the FBI required all agencies to submit data via NIBRS.
Nearly 40% of U.S. agencies submitted no 2021 data.
Result: National crime trends were incomplete and unreliable for two years.
(Marshall Project, 2022; FBI, 2023)
Victimization vs. Reported Crime
The Bureau of Justice Statistics’ National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) consistently shows higher crime rates than FBI data — the “dark figure” of unreported crime.
Consequences
Public perception gaps: People may feel crime is rising while officials claim it’s falling.
Policy distortion: Resource allocation decisions are based on flawed data.
Erosion of trust: Victims lose faith in police responsiveness and honesty.
Unseen victims: Crimes without reports go uninvestigated, allowing offenders to reoffend.
Recommendations
Independent annual classification audits in all major departments.
Public dashboards comparing calls for service to actual reports.
Whistleblower protections for officers and analysts.
Tighter DOJ standards for “exceptional clearance” and unfounding.
State-level NIBRS compliance laws to prevent national reporting gaps.
Conclusion
San Diego’s case is not an outlier — it is a well-documented example of a national problem.
From Atlanta to Washington D.C., from Los Angeles to New York, the evidence shows that crime underreporting is a systemic issue that spans geography, political leadership, and department size.
Without transparency, independent oversight, and enforcement of reporting standards, crime statistics will remain as much a reflection of internal politics as of public safety.
References
KGTV 10News. (2007–2008). Policing the Police [Investigative series transcripts]. San Diego, CA: E.W. Scripps Company.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Changes in density of on-premises alcohol outlets and impact on violent crime in Atlanta. Atlanta, GA: CDC.
Los Angeles Times. (2015). Audit finds thousands of aggravated assaults misclassified by LAPD. Los Angeles, CA.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. (2012). Crimes underreported include robbery, rape. Milwaukee, WI.
Baltimore Sun. (2010). Undercounting rape in Baltimore. Baltimore, MD.
New Orleans Office of Inspector General. (2014). NOPD sex crimes unit performance audit. New Orleans, LA.
ProPublica, Newsy, KUT. (2018–2022). Austin police and the exceptional clearance problem. Austin, TX.
NBC Washington. (2025). DC police commander disciplined over crime stat classification. Washington, DC.
FBI. (2023). NIBRS participation and reporting gaps. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.
Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2024). Criminal Victimization, 2023. Washington, DC: DOJ.
