California’s violent crime rate inched up in 2023, while property crime saw a slight dip. That’s according to new figures from the U.S. Department of Justice, summarized here by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC).
Violent Crime Well Above Pre-Pandemic Levels
The violent crime rate rose 1.7% between 2022 and 2023, but it remained 15.4% higher than in 2019. Homicides and rapes were down in 2023, while robberies and aggravated assaults rose 3.8% and 1.7% respectively.
Of California’s 58 counties, 32 experienced an increase in violent crime in 2023. The biggest jumps were in Ventura and Alameda counties, where violent crime rose by 47.2% and 39.2%.
Despite the increase, Ventura County — along with Orange and Imperial — had the lowest violent crime rates overall (338 incidents for every 100,000 residents in 2023). The San Joaquin Valley had the highest (641).
Property Crime Falls, Except in Some Big Counties
Property crime declined 0.8% between 2022 and 2023, remaining 0.3% between pre-pandemic levels. That was partly due to a decline in burglaries and larceny.
Auto thefts increased by 8.6% in 2023 and were 42.9% higher than in 2019. On the other hand, theft of car accessories like catalytic converters fell by 19.4% — the first decrease since 2020. Shoplifting rose 39.9% between 2022 and 2023. Compared to 2019, shoplifting rates were up 29.3%.
Although property crime was down overall, half of the state’s 10 most populous counties saw an increase: Alameda (+28.0%), Contra Costa (+7.7%), San Bernardino (+6.6%), Los Angeles (+4.7%), and Orange (+1.0%). The San Francisco Bay Area had the highest property crime rate in 2023 (3,167 incidents per 100,000 residents).
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