Handguns are by far the most common murder weapon used in the United States, accounting for 7,159 homicides in 2023. This is followed by firearms of an unstated type, with 5,295 cases in that year. Why do murders happen in the U.S.? While most of the time the circumstances of murders in the U.S. remain unknown, homicides due to narcotics come in as the second most common circumstance – making them more common than, for example, gang killings. Despite these gruesome facts, the violent crime rate has fallen significantly since 1990, and the United States is much safer than it was in the 1980s and 1990s. Knife crime vs disease: Leading causes of death The death rate in the U.S. had hovered around the same level since 1990 until there was a large increase due to the COVID-19 pandemic in recent years. Heart disease, cancer, and accidents were the three leading causes of death in the country in 2022. The rate of death from heart disease is significantly higher than the homicide rate in the United States, at 167.2 deaths per 100,000 population compared to a 5.7 homicides per 100,000. Given just 1,562 murders were caused by knife crime, it is fair to say that heart disease is a far bigger killer in the U.S.

In 2023, there were over 1.8 million assaults in the United States where personal weapons, such as hands, fists, or feet, were used. There were a further 149,766 assault offenses where handguns were used. What are firearms? Firearms are portable weapons used to shoot bullets. There are several different types of firearms, which include rifles, shotguns, machine guns, and pistols. Gun laws in the United States vary from state to state, where some states have stricter laws than others. Each state has their own constitution, which allows them to have their own interpretation of the Second Amendment of the Constitution. Gun culture in the United States is a large part of certain regions, where they share similar attitudes and beliefs about firearms and their right to own them. Aggravated Assault Aggravated assault is an intended action to cause serious bodily harm to someone else. In 2023, New Mexico had the highest rate of aggravated assault in the U.S., with Alaska, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana rounding out the top five. In contrast, the reported violent crime rate has decreased significantly since 1990, meaning that the U.S. is safer now than it was thirty years ago.

The graph illustrates the murder rate in the United States from 1985 to 2025. The x-axis represents the years, labeled with two-digit abbreviations from '85 to '25, while the y-axis shows the annual murder rate per 100,000 individuals. Throughout this 41-year period, the murder rate fluctuates between a high of 10.66 in 1991 and a low of 4.7 in 2014. Overall, the data reveals a significant downward trend in the murder rate from the mid-1980s, reaching its lowest point in the mid-2010s, followed by slight increases in the most recent years.

Number of homicide victims, by method used to commit the homicide (total methods used; shooting; stabbing; beating; strangulation; fire (burns or suffocation); other methods used; methods used unknown), Canada, 1974 to 2024.

Number and rate (per 100,000 population) of homicide victims, Canada and Census Metropolitan Areas, 1981 to 2024.

Statistics illustrates consumption, production, prices, and trade of Paper Knives in the United States from 2007 to 2024.

In 2025, Pietermaritzburg in South Africa ranked as the world's most dangerous city with a crime rate of 82 per 100,000 inhabitants. Five of the 10 cities with the highest crime rates worldwide are found in South Africa. The list does not include countries where war and conflict exist. South Africa dominates crime statistics When looking at crime rates, among the 10 most dangerous cities in the world, half of them are found in South Africa. The country is struggling with extremely high levels of inequality, and is struggling with high levels of crime and power outages, harming the country's economy and driving more people into unemployment and poverty. Crime in Latin America On the other hand, when looking at murder rates, Latin America dominates the list of the world's most dangerous countries. Violence in Latin America is caused in great part by drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and gang wars.

Turks and Caicos Islands saw a murder rate of ***** per 100,000 inhabitants, making it the most dangerous country for this kind of crime worldwide as of 2024. Interestingly, El Salvador, which long had the highest global homicide rates, has dropped out of the top 29 after a high number of gang members have been incarcerated. Meanwhile, Colima in Mexico was the most dangerous city for murders. Violent conflicts worldwide Notably, these figures do not include deaths that resulted from war or a violent conflict. While there is a persistent number of conflicts worldwide, resulting casualties are not considered murders. Partially due to this reason, homicide rates in Latin America are higher than those in Afghanistan or Syria. A different definition of murder in these circumstances could change the rate significantly in some countries. Causes of death Also, noteworthy is that murders are usually not random events. In the United States, the circumstances of murders are most commonly arguments, followed by narcotics incidents and robberies. Additionally, murders are not a leading cause of death. Heart diseases, strokes and cancer pose a greater threat to life than violent crime.

The global tonsil knife market is experiencing steady growth, driven by the rising prevalence of tonsillitis and other related throat ailments requiring surgical intervention. Technological advancements in tonsil knife design, leading to minimally invasive procedures and faster recovery times, are further boosting market expansion. The increasing number of surgical procedures performed in hospitals and clinics globally contributes significantly to the market's upward trajectory. While precise market size figures require further data, considering a typical CAGR (let's assume a conservative 5% based on medical device market growth trends) and a base year value of $150 million (a reasonable estimation based on the number of companies and regional distribution), the market is projected to reach approximately $200 million by 2030. This growth is fueled by the continued demand for effective and efficient tonsillectomy tools. The market is segmented by length (21cm, 23cm, and others), reflecting varying surgical needs and preferences. The hospital segment holds the largest market share due to its higher volume of procedures compared to clinics. Key players like B.Braun, GerMed USA, and others are shaping the market through innovation and competitive pricing strategies. Geographical distribution shows strong presence in North America and Europe, reflecting established healthcare infrastructure and high per capita healthcare spending. However, emerging markets in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East & Africa are presenting promising growth opportunities due to increasing healthcare investments and rising awareness of throat-related illnesses. Restraints include potential regulatory hurdles and the emergence of alternative treatment methods, but the overall market outlook remains positive, promising consistent growth for the next decade.

The global pineapple knife market is experiencing robust growth, driven by increasing consumer demand for convenient kitchen tools and the rising popularity of pineapple as a healthy and versatile fruit. While precise market size figures for 2025 are not provided, a reasonable estimation can be made based on industry trends and growth rates. Assuming a moderate CAGR (let's assume 5% for illustrative purposes, a figure that aligns with growth in similar niche kitchen utensil markets), and considering the provided study period of 2019-2033 and a base year of 2025, we can project a significant expansion. If we assume a 2025 market size of $100 million (a plausible figure considering the relatively niche nature of the product and comparing it to similar kitchen tool markets), a 5% CAGR would project substantial growth over the forecast period (2025-2033). This growth is fueled by several key factors. The increasing availability of fresh pineapples in both developed and developing nations is a crucial driver. Furthermore, the rise of convenient food preparation techniques and the growing popularity of healthy eating contribute to the demand for specialized tools like pineapple knives. The market is segmented by type (spade, clip, and other designs) and application (residential and commercial), each segment contributing differently to overall market dynamics. Competition amongst manufacturers like MI SHUO, OAK, Jin Gu Lao, BJ, Jia De Lang, Necooks, Zwilling, and Yi Ju Ke is also shaping the market landscape, with innovation in design and materials playing a vital role in market share. Geographical distribution reveals a diverse market with notable presence in North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. While the precise regional market shares are unavailable, North America and Europe are likely to represent a significant portion of the market, owing to higher per capita consumption of pineapples and a greater emphasis on convenient kitchen tools. The Asia-Pacific region, particularly China and India, is expected to showcase substantial growth due to rising disposable incomes and expanding demand for convenient food preparation methods. Future market expansion will depend on factors such as sustained growth in pineapple consumption, innovative product development, and the successful marketing of pineapple knives to broader consumer segments. Constraints such as price sensitivity in certain markets and potential substitution by more general-purpose kitchen tools may however influence the rate of market growth.

Knives or other sharp objects were involved in ** percent of homicides in England and Wales in 2023/24, the most of any method of killing. Homicides which involved hitting or kicking without a weapon made up **** percent of homicides, while shootings were identified as the method in *** percent of homicides. Overall, there were *** homicides in this reporting year, which was slightly lower than in the previous year, when there were ***, but noticeably higher than in 2014/15, when there were ***. Firearm homicides rare in England and Wales In 2023/24, there were *** knife homicides in England and Wales, compared with *** in 2021/22, which was the highest figure recently. By comparison, homicides which involved the use of a firearm were far less common, with just ** in the 2023/24 reporting year. Due to strict gun laws and low levels of ownership, the UK contrasts starkly with the United States, which has struggled with high levels of gun violence. Although some specialist police officers in England and Wales are licensed to carry firearms, the majority of police officers are unarmed. In 2023/24, for example, there were just ***** armed police, out of around ******* police officers. Overall knife crime on the rise Like many other types of crime, knife crime offences in the ***** started to decline at the start of the decade before creeping up again from 2014 onwards, reaching almost ****** in 2019/20. In London, where much of the media’s attention on knife crime is focused, there were ****** knife crime offences alone in 2019/20. Although this fell during subsequent reporting years, which were influenced by COVID-19 restrictions, it remains to be seen if the trend will continue. In 2023/24, the number of knife offences in the capital was higher than in any other year since 2019/20.

In Europe, the Baltic countries of Latvia and Lithuania had the highest and third highest homicide rates respectively in 2023. Latvia had the highest rate at over four per 100,000 inhabitants. Meanwhile, the lowest homicide rate was found in Liechtenstein, with zero murders The most dangerous country worldwide Saint Kitts and Nevis is the world's most dangerous country to live in in terms of murder rate. The Caribbean country had a homicide rate of 65 per 100,000 inhabitants. Nine of the 10 countries with the highest murder rates worldwide are located in Latin America and the Caribbean. Whereas Celaya in Mexico was listed as the city with the highest murder rate worldwide, Colima in Mexico was the city with the highest homicide rate in Latin America, so the numbers vary from source to source. Nevertheless, several Mexican cities rank among the deadliest in the world when it comes to intentional homicides. Violent conflicts worldwide Notably, these figures do not include deaths that resulted from war or a violent conflict. While there is a persistent number of conflicts worldwide, resulting casualties are not considered murders. Partially due to this reason, homicide rates in Latin America are higher than those in countries such as Ukraine or the DR Congo. A different definition of murder in these circumstances could change the rate significantly.

There were 46,999 robberies with a handgun in the United States in 2023. A further 15,564 robberies were perpetrated with a knife or other cutting instrument in that year. Decreasing crime As with most crime in the U.S., the number of robberies has decreased since 1990. Despite views that crime is on the rise in the United States, statistics show that the violent crime rate has almost halved in the last 30 years. The number of robberies in the U.S. have more than halved from their peak in 1991. What you seize is what you get Despite the classic idea of a bank robbery, robberies are far more likely to take place in the street or on a highway rather than in a bank in the United States. Additionally, the robbery rate was highest in the District of Columbia and lowest in Idaho in 2023. For the entire United States, the robbery rate stood at 66.5 per 100,000 inhabitants in that same year.

There were ***** firearm offences recorded in London 2023/24, compared with ***** in 2022/23. There was a noticeable drop in gun crime at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with offences falling from ***** in 2019/20 to ***** in 2021/21, and ***** in 2021/22. This is also reflected in London's overall crime rate, which fell from ***** crimes per 1,000 people in 2019/20, to **** in 2020/21, before increasing to **** in 2021/22, and ***** in the most recent reporting year. Firearm homicides rare in the UK The United Kingdom has some of the strictest gun laws in the world, resulting in relatively low levels of gun crime and firearm homicides. In 2023/24 just *** percent of homicides in England and Wales were the result of shootings, compared with *****percent in the United States in 2023. The most common method of killing for homicides in England and Wales was by far the use of a sharp instrument, such as knife, at ** percent of homicides in the 2023/24 reporting year. London police budget cut in 2025/26 In 2025/26, the budget for policing in London was cut to **** billion pounds, from over **** billion in 2024/25. Prior to this, London's police budget increased for sixth-consecutive years, occurred alongside a recruitment drive for police officers, which had fallen to quite low levels in the mid 2010s. It is unlikely that the London policing budget will fall to as low as it did in the mid 2010s, when the budget was effectively frozen at around *** billion pounds a year between 2013/14 and 2018/19