Violent crimes, property crimes decreasing in North Carolina, FBI data shows

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The White House reached out to ABC11 on Monday to talk about gun violence and the solutions that administration officials said are working.

The numbers reflect it in new data from the FBI.

They show violent crime and property crime have dropped 15% in North Carolina during the past 10 years, spanning three presidential administrations. However. many such crimes go unreported and therefore aren't reflected in the numbers. That's often the case in immigrant-heavy communities.

"That is a graduation instead of a funeral, that's a birthday party instead of a hospital visit, that's a baby shower instead of going to the graveyard and I think that's something we should focus on every single day," said Greg Jackson, deputy director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

The office was created a year ago.

Jackson cited statistics from the FBI. He said nationwide they've seen the steepest decreases in homicides in American history especially in the last couple of years. An important thing to note though is that the FBI collects data through its Uniform Crime Reporting Program, and not all law enforcement agencies in the U.S. participate.

Jackson attributed much of the decrease to $15 billion from the American Rescue Plan that went to law enforcement, crime intelligence and community-based strategies.

Another $1 billion went to victims' services to ensure families who have been traumatized have more resources to heal and recover.

"We have seen the steepest decline concentrated in inner cities and those neighborhoods most tragically impacted by this," Jackson said. "This is something we've seen and encouraged by from New Orleans to Greensboro -- some of the communities devastated the most historically."

Jackson was shot in Washington, DC, back in 2013 and said when violence is down the street, it doesn't feel like anything is working.

He also mentioned "Boots on the Ground" in Raleigh and "Bull City United" two violence intervention organizations that have been given federal dollars to stop violence before it happens.

Jackson said it's important to move forward with the same urgency to continue to find solutions to the ongoing public health crisis