President Trump's false claims about the country's growing crime rate cropped up again, this time in a speech by newly minted Attorney General Jeff Sessions just one day after his swearing-in ceremony. "We have a crime problem," Sessions said Thursday, speaking from the Oval Office. "I wish the rise that we are seeing in crime in America today were some sort of aberration or a blip." Instead, Sessions said, crime is a "dangerous and permanent trend that places the health and safety of the American people at risk."
Though there was a slight uptick in crime from 2014 to 2015, FBI crime statistics indicate an overall decline in crime over the last 25 years:
But on Thursday, Sessions said "there are a lot of things" that need to be done at the Department of Justice to combat this "trend" now that he is in charge. As attorney general, he will be tasked with overseeing the Justice Department's 113,000 employees, including its 93 U.S. attorneys. He will also supervise bureaus — including the FBI — and direct the enforcement of federal laws, including announcing DOJ investigations when necessary.
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Sessions was narrowly confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday night with a 52-47 vote, after facing criticism for his record on civil rights and immigration.
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