MIGHT EXPECT. HERE'S MONICA ALBA'S WITH THE FBI'S SURPRISING NEW REPORT. >> Reporter: DESPITE VIRAL VIDEOS OF SMASH-AND-GRAB ROBBERIES IN DEPARTMENT STORES AND SCENES OF CHAOTIC THEFT AND VIOLENCE IN MAJOR U.S. CITIES. >> UH-OH. UH-OH. >> Reporter: CRIME FOR 2023 IN ALMOST EVERY CATEGORY IS DOWN. THAT'S ACCORDING TO NEW DATA FROM THE FBI THAT RUNS COUNTER TO POPULAR PERCEPTION. ACCORDING TO THE GALLUP POLL, 77% OF AMERICANS BELIEVE CRIME IN THE U.S. IS UP COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO, BUT VIOLENT CRIME THIS YEAR ACCORDING TO THE FBI IS DOWN 8%. WHILE THE AGENCY DOESN'T SPECIFICALLY BREAK OUT RETAIL THEFT, PROPERTY CRIME IS DOWN MORE THAN 6% AND MURDER IN MAJOR AMERICAN CITIES IS DOWN 12.7% AFTER GOING UP DURING THE PANDEMIC. >> WE HAD THIS REALLY BIG SURGE IN 2020, 2021, AND IT STARTED TO COME DOWN IN 2022. >> Reporter: CRIME DATA ANALYST JEFF ASHER SAYS THE NUMBERS SHOW EVERY CATEGORY OF MAJOR CRIME, EXCEPT AUTO THEFT, DECLINED THIS YEAR. >> Reporter: WHAT DO YOU THINK EXPLAINS THE GAP BETWEEN REALITY AND PERCEPTION? >> I THINK THIS IS ONLY ENFLAMED BY SOCIAL MEDIA, BY VIRAL VIDEOS. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET ONE INCIDENT HAVE MILLIONS OF CLICKS BECAUSE THIS TERRIBLE INCIDENT HAPPENED. >> Reporter: IT IS A NOTION SOME REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES HAVE SEIZED ON. >> NEW YORK CITY IS A CRIME DEN. CHICAGO IS A CRIME DEN. YOU LOOK AT THESE GREAT CITIES, LOS ANGELES, SAN FRANCISCO. >> Reporter: MURDER IN EACH OF THOSE CITIES IS ACTUALLY DOWN. OTHER MAJOR CITIES LIKE PHILADELPHIA, DETROIT AND ATLANTA SHOW EVEN SHARPER DECLINES, THOUGH IN SOME PLACES LIKE WASHINGTON, D.C., MEMPHIS AND EL PASO, MURDERS THIS YEAR ARE ON THE RISE. EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED MORE THAN $200 MILLION FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO HIRE 1,700 NEW