Maybe it's cause the early 90s was about the peak of crime rates for most cities nation wide? I can't reminder the exact years but around the peak in NYC (probably late 80s to early 90s) there was something like 2000 murders a year in the city. Now they're usually down to around 400-500 a year. Same basic trend in most major cities, though maybe not quite to the same degree. But from what I recall the FBI stats show a pretty steady decline in violent crime and murder in the US from the mid-90s on. There were recently only a few cities who were extreme exceptions, where murder rose notably with in the last decade. Chicago being point of the most extreme with 700+ murders some years.
Quick Google search says ( according to wiki) 1974 was the top year for actual murders with 970 murders. 92 was second place with 943. 92 had the higher murder RATE cause the population had dropped some in the meantime.
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