Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
California's Violent Crime Rate Surges Above National Average
By admin
Published 1 year ago on
November 3, 2023

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

California’s violent crime rate is diverging from the national average, with a 31% higher rate in 2022, according to recent FBI data.

This divergence is largely due to a rise in aggravated assaults in the state, while the national rate for such crimes is decreasing.

The FBI introduced a new crime reporting system in 2021, which may affect the accuracy of these statistics. Only 49% of California’s law enforcement agencies reported crime numbers for 2022, and the percentages in many other populous states were significantly lower.

Gap Widens During the Pandemic

Before the pandemic, California’s violent crime rate was similar to the national trend. However, the gap between the state and national rates has widened significantly during the pandemic, from 15% in 2019 to 31% in 2022.

Aggravated assaults are the primary driver of this divergence. In 2022, California’s aggravated assault rate was 25% higher than in 2019, while the national rate declined.

Other violent crime categories, such as robbery, homicide, and rape, have not diverged as significantly.

County-level data from the California Department of Justice shows that the increase in aggravated assaults is widespread across both urban and rural counties.

Reasons for More Aggravated Assaults

While California’s violent crime rate increase is notable, eight other states also saw double-digit increases. The recent changes in the FBI’s crime reporting systems and incomplete law enforcement agency participation may make comparisons across states less reliable.

The reasons for the increase in aggravated assaults are unclear, but potential contributing factors include decreases in police staffing, a decline in jail and prison populations, increased behavioral health challenges, and rising social and economic challenges, such as an increase in homelessness.

Read more at PPIC.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Westlands’ New Science Adviser Brings Deep Knowledge of Fish

DON'T MISS

Will Vang Win Fresno Council Seat Outright? It Could Go Down to the Wire

DON'T MISS

White House Plans to Pause $175 Million for Penn Over Transgender Policy

DON'T MISS

Clovis Residents Lose Over $250,000 in Fraud Scheme, Police Warn

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Confirms Second Measles Case. Exposure Warning Issued

DON'T MISS

Federal Reserve Keeps Interest Rate Unchanged, Sees Slower Growth, Slightly Higher Inflation Ahead

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Sentenced for Having 146 Pounds of Fentanyl, Cocaine

DON'T MISS

Wired Wednesday: Will Gov. Newsom Be the 2028 Dem Presidential Nominee?

DON'T MISS

Newsom Accelerates Fresno County Solar Project Powering 300K Homes

DON'T MISS

New CA Fire Maps Will Change How Some Valley Homes Are Built

UP NEXT

Fresno Man Sentenced for Having 146 Pounds of Fentanyl, Cocaine

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Jarrett Steven Huddleston

UP NEXT

Where Are Convicted Bitwise CEOs Serving Their Prison Terms?

UP NEXT

Hollywood Filmmaker Charged with Defrauding Netflix in $11M Scheme

UP NEXT

Two Men Found Guilty in Deadly San Antonio Immigrant Smuggling Case

UP NEXT

Fresno Woman Killed in Hit-and-Run Crash Identified

UP NEXT

Tesla Vehicles Defaced in Overnight Attack at California Dealership

UP NEXT

Protests Planned All Over California to Oppose Medicaid, SNAP Funding Cuts

UP NEXT

Newsom Tries ‘Burner Phone’ Strategy to Connect with Tech CEOs

UP NEXT

‘They Didn’t Lift a Damn Finger’: California Crime Victim Fund Ordered to Change Practices

Clovis Residents Lose Over $250,000 in Fraud Scheme, Police Warn

1 hour ago

Fresno County Confirms Second Measles Case. Exposure Warning Issued

1 hour ago

Federal Reserve Keeps Interest Rate Unchanged, Sees Slower Growth, Slightly Higher Inflation Ahead

2 hours ago

Fresno Man Sentenced for Having 146 Pounds of Fentanyl, Cocaine

2 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: Will Gov. Newsom Be the 2028 Dem Presidential Nominee?

2 hours ago

Newsom Accelerates Fresno County Solar Project Powering 300K Homes

2 hours ago

New CA Fire Maps Will Change How Some Valley Homes Are Built

3 hours ago

Social Security Administration to Require In-Person Identity Checks for Recipients

3 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Jarrett Steven Huddleston

3 hours ago

Legal Showdown as Justice Department Clashes with Judge Over Deportation Flight Details

3 hours ago

Westlands’ New Science Adviser Brings Deep Knowledge of Fish

The country’s largest public water district hired a new science adviser to guide the organization and help balance water availability ...

7 minutes ago

7 minutes ago

Westlands’ New Science Adviser Brings Deep Knowledge of Fish

33 minutes ago

Will Vang Win Fresno Council Seat Outright? It Could Go Down to the Wire

The White House in Washington, Feb. 6, 2025. The Secret Service shot a man near the White House early Sunday around midnight on Saturday after an “armed confrontation” with law enforcement officers, the agency said in a statement. (Eric Lee/The New York Times)
49 minutes ago

White House Plans to Pause $175 Million for Penn Over Transgender Policy

1 hour ago

Clovis Residents Lose Over $250,000 in Fraud Scheme, Police Warn

1 hour ago

Fresno County Confirms Second Measles Case. Exposure Warning Issued

2 hours ago

Federal Reserve Keeps Interest Rate Unchanged, Sees Slower Growth, Slightly Higher Inflation Ahead

2 hours ago

Fresno Man Sentenced for Having 146 Pounds of Fentanyl, Cocaine

2 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: Will Gov. Newsom Be the 2028 Dem Presidential Nominee?

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend