C J. Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through April bulletin. Cynthia Burke, Ph.D.

Transcription

1 bulletin C J Criminal Justice Research Division, SANDAG Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through 2012 April 2013 Cynthia Burke, Ph.D. Division Director 401 B Street Suite 800 San Diego, CA (619) A SANDAG CJ BULLETIN

2 BOARD OF DIRECTORS The 18 cities and county government are SANDAG serving as the forum for regional decision-making. SANDAG builds consensus; plans, engineers, and builds public transit; makes strategic plans; obtains and allocates resources; and provides information on a broad range of topics pertinent to the region s quality of life. CHAIR Hon. Jack Dale FIRST VICE CHAIR Hon. Jim Janney SECOND VICE CHAIR Hon. Don Higginson EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Gary L. Gallegos CITY OF CARLSBAD Hon. Matt Hall, Mayor Hon. Farrah Douglas, Councilmember Hon. Lorraine Wood, Councilmember CITY OF CHULA VISTA Hon. Cheryl Cox, Mayor Hon. Pamela Bensoussan, Councilmember Hon. Rudy Ramirez, Deputy Mayor CITY OF CORONADO Hon. Michael Woiwode, Councilmember Hon. Al Ovrom,, Councilmember Hon. Casey Tanaka, Mayor CITY OF DEL MAR Hon. Terry Sinnott, Mayor Hon. Lee Haydu, Deputy Mayor Hon. Al Corti, Councilmember CITY OF EL CAJON Hon. Mark Lewis, Mayor Hon. Bill Wells, Councilmember CITY OF ENCINITAS Hon. Lisa Shaffer, Deputy Mayor Hon. Teresa Barth, Mayor Hon. Tony Kranz, Councilmember CITY OF ESCONDIDO Hon. Sam Abed, Mayor Hon. Ed Gallo, Councilmember Hon. John Masson, Councilmember CITY OF IMPERIAL BEACH Hon. Jim Janney, Mayor Hon. Robert Patton, Councilmember Hon. Brian Bilbray, Councilmember CITY OF LA MESA Hon. Art Madrid, Mayor Hon. Ruth Sterling, Councilmember Hon. Kristine Alessio, Councilmember CITY OF LEMON GROVE Hon. Mary Teresa Sessom, Mayor Hon. Jerry Jones, Councilmember Hon. George Gastil, Councilmember CITY OF NATIONAL CITY Hon. Ron Morrison, Mayor Hon. Luis Natividad, Vice Mayor Hon. Alejandra Sotelo-Solis, Councilmember CITY OF OCEANSIDE Hon. Jack Feller, Councilmember Hon. Gary Felien, Councilmember Hon. Jerry Kern, Councilmember CITY OF POWAY Hon. Don Higginson, Mayor Hon. Jim Cunningham, Councilmember Hon. John Mullin, Deputy Mayor CITY OF SAN DIEGO Hon. Bob Filner, Mayor Hon. Marti Emerald, Councilmember Vacant Hon. Todd Gloria, Council President Hon. David Alvarez, Councilmember Hon. Sherri Lightner, Councilmember CITY OF SAN MARCOS Hon. Chris Orlando, Councilmember Jim Desmond, Mayor Hon. Rebecca Jones, Vice Mayor CITY OF SANTEE Hon. Jack Dale, Councilmember (A) Hon. John Minto, Vice Mayor (A) Hon. Rob McNelis, Councilmember CITY OF SOLANA BEACH Hon. Lesa Heebner, Councilmember (A) Hon. Mike Nichols, Mayorr (A) Hon. David A. Zito, Councilmember CITY OF VISTA Hon. Judy Ritter, Mayor (A) Hon. David Cowles, Deputy Mayor (A) Hon. John Aguilera, Councilmember COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO Hon. Greg Cox, Chairman (A) Hon. Ron Roberts, Supervisor (A) Hon. Dave Roberts, Supervisor Hon. Bill Horn, Supervisor (A) Hon. Dianne Jacob, Vice Chair ADVISORY MEMBERS IMPERIALL COUNTY Hon. John Renison, Supervisor, District 1 (A) Hon. Bill Hodge, Mayor, City of Calexico CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Malcolm Dougherty, Directorr (A) Laurie Berman, District 11 Director METROPOLITAN TRANSITT SYSTEM Harry Mathis, Chairman (A) Hon. Ron Roberts NORTH COUNTY TRANSIT DISTRICT Hon. Markk Packard, Vice Chair (A) Hon. Edd Gallo (A) Hon. Mike Nichols U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CAPT Clifford Maurer, USN, CEC, Southwestt Division Naval Facilities Engineering Command (A) CAPT Allan Stratman, USN, CEC, Southwestt Division Naval Facilities Engineering Command SAN DIEGO UNIFIED PORT DISTRICT Hon. Ann Moore, Chair (A) Hon. Bob Nelson SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY Tom Wornham, Chairman (A) David Barnum, Director SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TRIBAL CHAIRMEN S ASSOCIATION Hon. Allen Lawson, Chairman, San Pasqual Band of Diegueño Indians Hon. Robert Smith, Chairman, Pala Band of Mission Indians MEXICO Hon. Remedios Gómez-Arnau, Cónsul General of Mexico (A) Hon. Francisco J. Olivarría, Deputy Cónsul General of Mexico Hon. Alberto Diaz Rev

3 THIRTY YEARS OF CRIME IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION: 1983 THROUGH 2012 INTRODUCTION Since 1980, SANDAG has been reporting regional crime statistics for the San Diego region through a cooperative agreement with local law enforcement agencies. This report presents and discusses crime trend data for the past 30 years. Crime rates per 1,000 resident population, 1 as well as the actual number of crimes reported are presented. SANDAG is the only local entity to compile and analyze these statistics historically across the 18 incorporated cities, as well as the unincorporated areas of the county, making this information some of the most frequently requested from SANDAG s Criminal Justice Clearinghouse. These data are useful to local law enforcement, policy makers, and the community in general in tracking public safety over time, as well as the effectiveness of prevention and response efforts on regional crime rates. OVERALL CRIME There was a total of 81,451 Part I crimes in the San Diego region in 2012 (Appendix Tables 1 and 5) which equated to crimes per 1,000 population (Appendix Table 2). Part I crimes include four violent offenses (homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) and three property offenses (burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft) that are tracked nationwide in a standardized manner by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with agencies submitting crime data through the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system. Other crimes, such as drug-related offenses, vandalism, and fraud, are also documented by local law enforcement as Part II crimes. However, because categorization schemes can vary across agencies, standardized numbers for Part II crimes are not available, even though these crimes may be sizeable in number and require substantial attention and resources from law enforcement. 1 The populations used to calculate rates are provided in Appendix Table 20. FAST FACTS In 2012, both the violent and property crime rates for the San Diego region increased for the first time since 2001 and 2003, respectively. The violent crime rate increased 7 percent to 3.77 per 1,000 population and the property crime rate increased 6 percent to There were 107 homicides in the San Diego region in 2012, a 30 percent increase from 2011 and the largest one-year jump of the four violent crimes. The number of robberies reported across the region increased 5 percent, with increases in all of the location types, except bank robberies, which decreased 22 percent from 2011 to While the number of robberies with a firearm only increased 1 percent over the past year, the number of aggravated assaults with a firearm increased by 27 percent. There were a greater number of residential burglaries, larcenies, and motor vehicle thefts in 2012, compared to The only exception was non-residential burglaries, which decreased 5 percent. Over the past ten years, the percent of property recovered decreased from 46 percent to 21 percent, possibly reflecting advancements in technology and the ease of disposing of stolen property, priorities of law enforcement to focus on violent crime with limited available resources, as well as changes in how this information is compiled and reported. At mid-year 2012, national violent and property crime rates were also up, compared to 2011, but to a lesser degree than in the San Diego region. Increases were greater in the Western region of the United States, but large California cities did not have increases consistently larger than other Western cities. Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through

4 VIOLENT CRIME In 2012, there were 11,838 Part I violent crimes reported to law enforcement in the San Diego region (Appendix Tables 1 and 6). 2 The most common type was aggravated assault, which represented two-thirds (66%) of all violent crime in 2012; robbery represented 27 percent, rape 6 percent, and homicide 1 percent. According to statistics from the National Crime Victimization Survey, 3 just under half (49%) of violent crime was reported to law enforcement nationwide in 2011 (not shown). As Figure 1 shows, the violent crime rate (per 1,000 population) in the San Diego region increased in the later part of the 1980s, reaching a peak of 9.76 in Since then, it declined to 3.53 violent crimes per 1,000 residents in 2011, which was a 30-year low. Possible factors related to this overall drop in crime since the 1990s could include legislation which increased jail and prison time for violent offenses, cross-jurisdictional task forces targeting gang activity and utilizing intelligence-led policing, and the implementation of effective crime prevention programs. However, over the past year, it did increase, for the first time since 2001, from 3.53 to 3.77 in 2012 (a 7% increase). This rate of 3.77 was the third lowest in the past 30 years, and was only higher than the rates reported in 2010 and Across jurisdictions, the 2012 violent crime rate ranged from 0.16 to 6.29 (Appendix Table 3 and Appendix Map 1). Over the past year, 14 jurisdictions had higher and 7 had lower violent crime rates, compared to 2011 (4 had numbers too small for valid comparisons). El Cajon (-32%) and Chula Vista (-14%) were the only two jurisdictions with double-digit one-year decreases, with the five agencies reporting more modest decreases, between 1 and 4 percent. For the 14 jurisdictions with higher rates in 2012, the increases varied from 2 percent in Imperial Beach to 37 percent in Ramona. Figure 1 VIOLENT CRIME RATE INCREASED IN 2012 FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2001 Violent Crime Rate per 1,000 Population SOURCES: SANDAG; California Department of Finance; U.S. Census 1990; U.S. Census 2000; U.S. Census 2010 Annual statistics through 2011 from the FBI were used to compare changes over time in the violent crime rate reported in the San Diego region to those reported across the United States. As Figure 2 shows, the San Diego region experienced a greater rise in violent crime in the late 1980s and early 1990s, compared to the nation, returning to a similar violent crime rate after This increase was possibly related to the prevalence of methamphetamine distribution and use in the region during this time period. In 2011, the violent crime rate in the San Diego region was 3.53, versus 3.86 for the nation as a whole The numbers of violent crimes reported in each jurisdiction for 2008 through 2012 are also presented in Appendix Tables 10 through Planty, M. & Truman, J.L. (2012). Criminal Victimization, Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics (NCJ ). 4 Crime numbers and rates are labeled in figures for 2012 and 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years previously throughout the report for consistency. 4 Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through 2012

5 Figure 2 SAN DIEGO REGION HAD A GREATER INCREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME THAN THE NATION IN THE LATE 1980s Table 1 MOST LARGE WESTERN CITIES REPORTED MORE VIOLENT CRIME AT MID-YEAR 2012 COMPARED TO MID-YEAR 2011 Violent Crime Rate per 1,000 Population Mid- Year 2011 Mid- Year 2012 Percent Change Fresno, CA 1,455 1,398-4% Los Angeles, CA 9,957 9,213-7% Phoenix, AZ 3,888 4,451 14% Portland, OR 1,424 1,540 8% City of San Diego 2,482 2,719 10% San Francisco, CA 2,580 2,761 7% San Jose, CA 1,552 1,761 13% Seattle, WA 1,660 1,834 10% SOURCE: Federal Bureau of Investigation San Diego Region United States Homicide SOURCES: SANDAG; Federal Bureau of Investigation With the local increase in violent crime, an obvious question is whether other jurisdictions or the United States overall have experienced recent increases. While calendar year 2011 represents the most current annual crime statistics available at the national level at the time of this publication, preliminary mid-year 2012 statistics released by the FBI show a 1.9 percent increase in the number of violent crimes reported nationally, compared to the same point in Across the four regions of the United States, violent crime had increased 1.1 percent in the Northeast, 1.1 percent in the South, 2.5 percent in the Midwest, and 3.1 percent in the West 5 (not shown). Additional analyses of these preliminary mid-year 2012 statistics for Western cities with populations greater than 500,000 revealed that six of the eight did have some level of increase (ranging from 7 percent in San Francisco, CA to 14% in Phoenix, AZ) (Table 1). Over the past 30 years, the number of homicides in the San Diego region peaked at 278 in 1991 and decreased fairly steadily to 86 in Since then, the number of homicides has fluctuated but has not gone lower than 67 (in 2010) or exceeded 130 (in 2003) (Appendix Tables 1 and 8). In 2012, there was a total of 107 homicides, which was the second consecutive increase and a 30 percent jump from 2011 when 82 homicides were reported (Figure 3). In both 2011 and 2012, there were three primary motives which accounted for three-fourths of homicides where motive could be determined (61 homicides in 2011 and 83 in 2012): an argument (22% in 2012), domestic violence (18% in 2012), or gang-related (31% in 2012). Compared to 2011, the percent attributed to gangs increased (from 18% in 2011), and the percent attributed to arguments (26% in 2011) and domestic violence (30% in 2011) decreased. Motives in the other 24 homicides in 2012 included child abuse (13% of all homicides), drugs (10%), a lover s triangle (2%), robbery (1%), silencing a witness (1%), and sexual bondage (not shown). 5 Western states include Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington. Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through

6 Figure 3 NUMBER OF HOMICIDES INCREASED FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR IN Figure 4 GREATER NUMBER OF RAPES REPORTED IN 2012, COMPARED TO , ,000 Number of Homicides Number of Rapes Rape There were 691 rapes reported in the San Diego region in 2012, which was a 5 percent increase from 2011 (660) (Appendix Tables 1 and 8). Further analyses revealed that while the number of completed rapes increased 2 percent (from 499 in 2011 to 510 in 2012), the number of attempted rapes reported to law enforcement increased 12 percent (from 160 to 180) (not shown). In 2012, 26 percent of reported rapes were categorized as attempted. The number of rapes, either attempted or completed, that are reported may be tied in part to education and outreach efforts encouraging victims to report the crime to law enforcement. With FBI UCR standardized definitions for the crime of rape expanded in 2012, it is possible that these numbers will increase in the future. As Figure 4 shows, the number of reported rapes has remained relatively stable over the past 30 years, compared to the number of other types of violent crime during the same period of time. The greatest number of rapes reported to law enforcement was 969 in 1991 and the lowest was 596 in Robbery Over the past 30 years, the greatest number of robberies was reported in 1992 (8,554) and the smallest number was reported in 2002 (3,342). This low was followed by five consecutive increases and some annual fluctuations, with most recently, an increase of 5 percent, from 3,050 in 2011 to 3,200 in 2012 (Figure 5 and Appendix Tables 1 and 8). The 3,200 robberies in 2012 was still the second lowest number reported in the past 30 years. As part of standardized UCR reporting requirements, the type of weapon used during a robbery and the location of the robbery are documented. In 2012, 20 percent of robberies involved a firearm, 10 percent a knife or other cutting instrument, 10 percent another weapon (i.e., bat, stick, or other blunt object), and the majority (61%) were considered strong-arm. Robberies involving each of these four weapon types increased from 2011 to 2012, from 1 percent for robberies involving firearms to 25 percent for those involving knives and other cutting instruments (not shown). 6 Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through 2012

7 Number of Robberies Figure 5 NUMBER OF ROBBERIES INCREASED AGAIN IN ,000 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 4,031 3,000 2,000 1, ,171 7,494 In 2012, almost half (49%) of robberies occurred out in the open, on streets or in other public places, 29 percent in commercial establishments, 11 percent in other locations (which includes wooded areas, churches, schools, and other public buildings), 8 percent in residences, and 2 percent in banks. Robberies in each of these locations, except for banks, increased from 2011 to 2012 (with increases ranging from 3% for highway robberies to 10% for commercial robberies). The number of bank robberies decreased 22 percent from 101 in 2011 to 79 in 2012 (not shown). For the eleven jurisdictions with robbery numbers large enough for comparison in 2011 and 2012, six experienced an increase in the number of robberies (ranging from 4% in San Diego to 57% in Carlsbad) and the other five experienced a decrease (from -3% in Chula Vista and Oceanside to -21% in El Cajon) (Appendix Tables 13 and 14). Aggravated Assault 4,227 3,375 4,018 3,200 3,050 Over the past 30 years, the number of aggravated assaults followed an upward trend from 1985 (5,624) that peaked in 1994 (15,406). This overall increase was due at least in part to 1986 legislation requiring law enforcement agencies to report all domestic violence incidents. Since 1994, these numbers have generally declined, although 2012 saw the first one-year increase (by 9%, from 7,217 in 2011 to 7,840 in 2012) since 2009 (Figure 6 and Appendix Tables 1 and 8). 6 Figure 6 NUMBER OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS UP FROM PRIOR YEAR Number of Aggravated Assaults 18,000 16,000 14,000 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2, ,419 10,834 14,416 11,501 9,646 7,920 7,840 7,217 Like robbery, the type of weapon used in aggravated assaults is documented for reporting purposes. In 2012, 40 percent of aggravated assaults involved the use of another weapon (e.g., bat, stick, or other blunt object); 29 percent hands, feet, or fists; 19 percent a knife or other cutting instrument; and 12 percent a firearm. Aggravated assaults in each of the categories increased over the past year (from 5% for assaults with knives or other cutting instruments to 27% for those involving firearms), with the exception of those involving hands/feet/fists, which decreased 3 percent (not shown). For the 21 jurisdictions with numbers large enough to compare, 15 experienced a one-year increase in the number of reported aggravated assaults, ranging from 1 percent in La Mesa to 56 percent in Ramona, and 6 experienced a decrease, ranging from -11 percent in Imperial 6 In 2012, there were almost three simple assaults for every aggravated assault that was reported (for a total of 18,972 simple assaults). Simple assault, which is not counted as a Part I crime, includes all assaults and attempted assaults which are not of an aggravated nature and do not result in serious injury to the victim. The number of simple assaults reported in 2012 represented a 2 percent increase from Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through

8 Beach to -38 percent in El Cajon (Appendix Tables 13 and 14). Violent Crime Against Senior Citizens Each jurisdiction also voluntarily documents violent crimes committed against senior citizens (individuals 60 years of age and older). In 2012, there were 571 violent crimes against senior citizens, an increase of 22 percent from the previous year. In 2012, these violent crimes against seniors included 4 homicides, 15 rapes, 180 robberies, and 372 aggravated assaults. Of the ten reporting agencies, only the San Diego Police Department and the Sheriff s Department had numbers large enough to compare over time, and both of these agencies reported one-year increases (25% and 47%, respectively) (not shown). According to law enforcement, these changes may reflect an aging population, as well as better reporting. PROPERTY CRIME With 69,613 property crimes reported in 2012 (Appendix Tables 1 and 7), 1 in every 45 residents was the victim of a property crime, a rate still lower than it was five years earlier (when it was 1 in 36 in 2008) (not shown). 7 With the first increase in nine years, the 2012 property crime rate of was 6 percent higher than it was in 2011, but was still the third lowest rate in the past 30 years (Figure 7). Most crime (85%) reported to law enforcement represents property, versus violent offenses, and of these property crimes, 62 percent represented larcenies in 2012, 20 percent burglaries, and 17 percent motor vehicle thefts (not shown). Across the region, 19 jurisdictions had a higher property crime rate in 2012 compared to 2011 (with increases ranging from <1% in Chula Vista to 28% in Solana Beach) and 6 had a lower rate (with decreases ranging from -2% in Spring Valley to -10% in Poway). These 2012 rates ranged from 7.21 in 4S Ranch to per 1,000 residents in Del Mar (Appendix Table 4 and Appendix Map 2). 8 When interpreting these statistics, it is important to note that a variety of factors can affect a jurisdiction s crime rate, such as daytime population and accessibility. Property Crime Rate per 1,000 Population Figure 7 PROPERTY CRIME RATE INCREASED FOR FIRST TIME IN NINE YEARS SOURCES: SANDAG; California Department of Finance; U.S. Census 1990; U.S. Census 2000; U.S. Census 2010 In terms of dollar value, over $178.0 million worth of property was stolen in the San Diego region in 2012, which equates to around $487,803 on average per day. This amount reflected a 13 percent increase from the $157.6 million stolen in 2011 (Appendix Table 17). Twenty-one percent (21%) of this property, which was valued at $36.7 million, was recovered in 2012, compared to 26 percent and $41.7 million recovered in 2011 (Appendix Tables 17 and 18). This lower property recovery rate (which was actually 46% in 2003 and declined each year since then) could possibly reflect fewer sworn officers per capita in the region and the strategic focus on violent crime in the past year. Figure 8 compares property crimes reported to law enforcement in the San Diego region to national statistics from 1983 through 2011 (the most recent annual statistics available, as previously noted). In 1983, the San Diego region had a higher property crime rate compared to the 7 According to statistics from the 2011 National Crime Victimization Survey, 37 percent of property crime nationwide was reported to law enforcement. 8 The numbers of property crimes reported in each jurisdiction for 2008 through 2012 are also presented in Appendix Tables 10 through Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through 2012

9 United States overall. The local property crime rate began to decline in the early 1990s falling and remaining below the national average since In 2011, the property crime rate for the region was 20.89, compared to for the nation. Figure 8 SAN DIEGO REGION HAS HAD A LOWER PROPERTY CRIME RATE THAN THE NATION SINCE 1995 Property Crime Rate per 1,000 Population SD County United States SOURCES: SANDAG; Federal Bureau of Investigation Preliminary mid-year 2012 national statistics released by the FBI also show a relatively small increase (1.5%) in the number of reported property crimes from mid-year Across the four regions of the United States, the FBI reported that property crime had increased 4.0 percent in the Northeast, 1.3 percent in the Midwest, and 4.7 percent in the West, and that it decreased 1.4 percent in the South (not shown). Additional analyses of preliminary mid-year 2012 statistics regarding how the number of property crimes changed for Western cities with populations greater than 500,000 revealed that six of the eight had some level of increase (ranging from 1% in Seattle, WA to 27% in San Jose, CA) (Table 2). Table 2 MOST LARGE WESTERN CITIES REPORTED MORE PROPERTY CRIME AT MID-YEAR 2012 COMPARED TO MID-YEAR 2011 Mid- Year 2011 Mid- Year 2012 Percent Change Fresno, CA 13,090 12,571-4% Los Angeles, CA 42,608 43,388 2% Phoenix, AZ 30,765 29,394-4% Portland, OR 13,749 15,559 13% City of San Diego 14,160 15,286 8% San Francisco, CA 15,952 17,987 13% San Jose, CA 10,110 12,885 27% Seattle, WA 15,216 15,419 1% SOURCE: Federal Bureau of Investigation is the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft. As shown in Figure 9, the number of burglaries (including residential and non-residential) reported in the region declined between 1983 and 1984 and then began an upward trend, reaching 35,233 in Three years later, an eight-year decline began, reaching a low of 15,230 in Since then, the number of burglaries fluctuated until 2008, with three consecutive decreases to 13,326 in The 6 percent jump to 14,072 in 2012 represented the first increase in four years (Appendix Tables 1 and 8). Burglaries are categorized into one of three categories: forced entry, no forced entry, or unsuccessful. In 2012, over half (54%) were categorized as no forced entry, 35 percent as forced entry, and 11 percent as attempted/unsuccessful (not shown). Of the 14,072 burglaries reported in the San Diego region in 2012, over two-thirds (67%) were residential, which equates to 1 in every 118 households being burglarized. Over the past year, the number of residential burglaries increased by 12 percent (from 8,374 to 9,367) while the number of non-residential burglaries decreased Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through

10 5 percent (from 4,952 to 4,705) (Appendix Tables 13 and 14). Over the past year, 18 jurisdictions reported oneyear increases (ranging from 1% in San Diego to 72% in Coronado) and 6 had decreases (from -7% in Vista to -21% in Lakeside) (Appendix Tables 13 and 14). Number of Burglaries Figure 9 NUMBER OF BURGLARIES INCREASED OVER PAST YEAR 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5, ,972 35,233 32,014 18,378 18,893 16,931 14,072 13,326, or theft, is the most common crime, with 1 in every 72 residents a victim in 2012 (not shown). Beginning in 1985, the number of larcenies reported in the San Diego region began an upward trend, peaking at 85,448 in 1989, and then decreasing to 47,851 in Since then, there were four years of consecutive increases, followed by seven consecutive decreases, to a 30- year low in 2011 of 40,425. Similar to other crimes, 2012 saw the first recent increase, with a 7 percent jump to 43,406 (Figure 10, Appendix Tables 1 and 8). Figure 10 LARCENIES INCREASED FOR FIRST TIME IN EIGHT YEARS IN 2012 Number of Larcenies 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20, ,002 60,618 73,623 The most common larceny type (historically and in 2012) was theft from inside motor vehicles (38%), with the second most common from buildings (21%). Six of the seven larceny types increased in number from 2011 to 2012, from the 1 percent increase in thefts from buildings (8,958 to 9,017) to the 32 percent increase in thefts of bicycles (2,332 to 3,088); the only larceny type to decrease, by 9 percent, was pickpocket/purse snatching (260 to 236). Most larcenies (59%) in 2012 were petty thefts, involving property valued at $400 or less (not shown). Across the region, 18 of the jurisdictions reported an annual increase in the number of larcenies (ranging from 4% in National City to 35% in Imperial Beach) and 7 reported a decrease (ranging from <-1% in San Marcos to -16% in Fallbrook) (Appendix Tables 13 and 14). Motor Vehicle Theft 55,251 54,281 47,389 43,406 40,425 Figure 11 shows the number of motor vehicle thefts in the region for the past 30 years. Starting in 1983, the number of motor vehicles stolen in the San Diego region increased annually, reaching a high in 1989 of 40,897. This upward trend was followed by an overall decrease to 17,038 in Since then, there was a general increase to 24,435 in 2007, with four consecutive decreases 10 Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through 2012

11 to 11,346 in 2011 (Appendix Tables 1 and 8). However, in 2012 this declining trend reversed, with the number of motor vehicle thefts increasing by 7 percent, to 12,135. This change equates to 1 in every 204 registered motor vehicles being stolen that year, compared to 1 in 117 in In terms of dollar amount, the value of these stolen vehicles was estimated at almost $71.7 million, representing 40 percent of the total value of property stolen (not shown). Number of Motor Vehicle Thefts Figure 11 VEHICLE THEFT INCREASED IN ,000 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 Across the 21 jurisdictions with more than 30 incidents of motor vehicle theft reported in 2011 and 2012, 11 reported one-year increases in the number of motor vehicle thefts (2% in Alpine to 53% in Escondido 9 ) and 10 reported decreases (-2% in Lemon Grove to -33% in Spring Valley) (Appendix Tables 13 and 14). Arson 38,459 12,097 33,192 18,685 23,460 19,974 12,135 11,346 Unlike other FBI Index offenses, when arson is committed in concert with another FBI Index offense, both incidents must be reported, which is why arson is presented separately from other 9 According to the Escondido Police Department, at least some of the one-year increases in motor vehicle theft and other Part I crimes can be attributed to unusual delays, due to reduced staffing, in data entry of the crime statistics. As a result, some crimes that may have occurred in 2011 were entered in 2012 and are tracked the later year due to UCR reporting guidelines. property crime statistics. There were 352 arsons reported in 2012, which was higher than in 2011 (when there were 323) (Appendix Tables 13 and 14). Fifty-two percent (52%) of arsons in 2012 were of structures and 48 percent were categorized as mobile and other non-structural property types (not shown). DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Law enforcement agencies also track domestic violence incidents, some of which are included in the previously reported numbers in this bulletin. For example, a domestic violence incident could include a Part I violent crime (e.g., aggravated assault) or some type of property crime (e.g., burglary). Since 1988 the number of domestic violence incidents has varied from 15,570 in that year (Figure 12) to a high of 29,306 in In 2012, a total of 16,400 incidents were reported to law enforcement, an increase of 4 percent from 2011 (Appendix Table 9). Across the jurisdictions, 12 reported one-year increases in the number of domestic violence incidents (ranging from 1% in San Diego to 32% in Lemon Grove) and 5 reported decreases (ranging from -3% in Oceanside to -20% in Coronado) (Appendix Table 9). Number of Domestic Violence Incidents Figure 12 NUMBER OF REPORTED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES UP IN ,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5, ,570 28,597 20,592 21,756 16,759 15,823 16,400 Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through

12 HATE CRIMES As part of California Penal Code, the Attorney General is required to submit an annual report to the Legislature regarding crimes motivated by a victim s race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or physical or mental disability. Beginning in 2008, SANDAG asked local law enforcement agencies to share hate crime reports that were to be submitted to the State to allow for more timely statistics, as well as more detailed analysis for San Diego County not available in the State report. According to the California Penal Code, a hate crime is a criminal act committed in whole or in part because of the actual or perceived characteristics of the victim (described previously). Thus, hate crimes are not separate distinct crimes, but rather traditional offenses specifically motivated by the offender s bias. In 2012, a total of 100 hate crime events were reported by law enforcement from across the region, which included a total of 110 offenses, 129 victims, and 129 known suspects (Figure 13). Compared to one and five years earlier, the number of offenses decreased by 11 percent and 13 percent, respectively. However, the number of victims was up from 2011 (5%). In 2012, hate crimes were reported by police departments in Chula Vista, Coronado, El Cajon, Escondido, La Mesa, National City, Oceanside, and San Diego; the Sheriff s Department (for the jurisdictions of Encinitas, Lemon Grove, Poway, San Marcos, Vista, and other unincorporated areas); the Harbor Police; San Diego State University; University of California San Diego; and California State University, San Marcos (not shown). Figure 13 FEWER HATE CRIMES REPORTED IN 2012 THAN 2011 AND 2008 Number of Hate Crimes Events Offenses Victims Suspects Other hate crime information compiled for this summary includes the following. Of the 99 events for which motivation was documented, 62 percent appeared to be motivated by race, ethnicity, or national origin; 20 percent by religion; and 18 percent by sexual orientation. Of the 61 cases related to the victim s actual or perceived race/ethnicity/national origin, 56 percent were described as being anti-black, 25 percent as anti-hispanic, and 20 percent as other (which included multiple, White, Arabic, and Asian, as well as other categories not described). Of the 100 events where information was documented, the type of victim was an individual (or multiple individuals) for 87 percent, 5 percent a religious organization, 5 percent a government property, 2 percent a business or financial institution, and 1 percent was described as other. Eighty percent (80%) of the 114 victims where gender was documented were male. 12 Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through 2012

13 Of the 93 events where location was noted, 29 percent occurred on a driveway, highway, road, alley, or street; 14 percent at a school or college; 13 percent at a residence or home; 12 percent in a parking lot, garage, or an airport/bus terminal; 10 percent in jail/prison; 8 percent at a business (which includes restaurants and nightclubs); 5 percent at a church, synagogue, or temple; 4 percent in an outdoor area such as a field, woods, park, lake, waterway, or beach; 3 percent at some other type of location; 1 percent at a government building; and 1 percent at a storage rental unit. Of the 100 offenses with documented crime type, 61 percent were described as violent, which included 28 simple assaults, 19 aggravated assaults, 11 acts of intimidation, and 3 robberies. The rest (39%) were property-related and included 38 acts of vandalism or the destruction of property and 1 larceny (not shown). recovery rate is considerably higher (43%) 11 (not shown). Figure REGIONAL CLEARANCE RATES VARY BY OFFENSE Percent of Crimes Cleared 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 79% 41% 40% 58% 14% 18% 5% CLEARANCE RATES A crime is cleared or solved for reporting purposes when at least one person is arrested and charged with the offense. 10 Not surprisingly, the clearance rates in 2012 varied by crime type, with violent crimes cleared more frequently than property crimes. Overall, 52 percent of violent crimes that were open for investigation in the region were cleared (with a range across departments of 33% in El Cajon to 69% in Ramona), compared to 15 percent of property crimes (with a range of 10% in Oceanside and Encinitas to 29% in National City) (Appendix Tables 15 and 16). As Figure 14 shows, the crimes of homicide and aggravated assault have the highest clearance rates, which is related to the fact that these crimes receive maximum resources given the seriousness of the crime and (for assault) involve individuals with face-to-face contact who may also already know one another. While the motor vehicle theft clearance rate is the lowest of the seven Part I crimes, it is important to note that the vehicle 10 It is important to note that a crime can occur in one calendar year, but be cleared in that year or a future year. HOW DOES THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO COMPARE TO OTHER U.S. CITIES? National information for crime rates for 32 U.S. cities (rather than counties or regions) with populations of 500,000 or more and who met crime data submission deadlines is currently available for calendar year 2011 (one year prior to the majority of other statistics presented in this report). In 2011, the City of San Diego 12 was the eighth largest city among the 32, with a population of 1.31 million. As Figures 15 and 16 show the City of San Diego was one of the safest places to live, compared to other large metropolitan areas in terms of both violent crime (third lowest, following Honolulu, HI and San Jose, CA) and property crime (second lowest, following New York, NY). In 2010, San Diego was also ranked third safest for violent crime and second safest for property crime (not shown). 11 Motor vehicles represented 40 percent of stolen property in terms of dollar value, but 84 percent of the value of recovered property in In 2012, 47 percent of the region s violent crime and 46 percent of the property crime were reported by the San Diego Police Department. Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through

14 Violent Crime Rate per 1,000 Population Figure 15 CITY OF SAN DIEGO S 2011 VIOLENT CRIME RATE THIRD LOWEST IN NATION SOURCE: Federal Bureau of Investigation Figure 16 CITY OF SAN DIEGO S 2011 PROPERTY CRIME RATE SECOND LOWEST IN NATION Property Crime Rate per 1,000 Population Lowest - Honolulu, HI City of San Diego Highest - Detroit, MI SUMMARY In 2012, the violent and property crime rates in the San Diego region both increased for the first time since 2001 and 2003, respectively. However, it is important to note that across the seven crime categories, most of the reported numbers were still among the lowest in the past 30 years. The number of homicides increased the most, compared to 2011, with preliminary motive information suggesting this was due at least in part to gang-related crime. Examination of other crime categories revealed that the only exceptions to the increases across the region related to bank robberies and non-residential burglaries, both of which decreased. For those interested in more detailed 2012 statistics, please contact the Criminal Justice Research Division at (619) For those interested in more recent statistics for a specific area of San Diego County, as well as maps of specific areas, please visit the ARJIS (Automated Regional Justice Information System) Web site at Lowest - New York, NY City of San Diego Highest - Memphis, TN SOURCE: Federal Bureau of Investigation 14 Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through 2012

15 APPENDIX

16

17 Appendix Map 1 Appendix Map 2 Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through

18 Appendix Table 1 NUMBER OF CRIMES BY OFFENSE San Diego Region, 2008, 2011, and 2012 Change Homicide % 30% Rape % 5% Robbery 4,018 3,050 3,200-20% 5% Aggravated Assault 7,920 7,217 7,840-1% 9% Violent Crime Total 12,873 11,009 11,838-8% 8% 16,931 13,326 14,072-17% 6% Theft 47,389 40,425 43,406-8% 7% Motor Vehicle Theft 19,974 11,346 12,135-39% 7% Property Crime Total 84,294 65,097 69,613-17% 7% FBI INDEX 97,167 76,106 81,451-16% 7% 18 Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through 2012

19 Appendix Table 2 FBI INDEX CRIME RATE PER 1,000 POPULATION BY JURISDICTION San Diego Region, 2008, 2011, and 2012 Change Carlsbad % 8% Chula Vista % -2% Coronado % 4% El Cajon % -8% Escondido % 21% La Mesa % 11% National City % 2% Oceanside % 11% San Diego % 6% Sheriff - Total % 8% Del Mar % 16% Encinitas % 22% Imperial Beach % 7% Lemon Grove % 3% Poway % -8% San Marcos % 3% Santee % 13% Solana Beach % 21% Vista % -3% Unincorporated % 8% 4S Ranch % -3% Alpine % 10% Fallbrook % -6% Lakeside % -5% Ramona % 27% Spring Valley % 1% Valley Center % 21% TOTAL % 6% NOTES: The FBI Crime Index includes homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft. Sheriff-Total" includes the contract cities and the unincorporated area served by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, as well as crimes reported in the Sheriff's "other" category that includes the Sheriff's detention facilities, courts staffed by the Sheriff, and crimes reported to the Sheriff that were determined to have occurred in a city not served by the Sheriff or a location for which jurisdiction could not be determined. Camp Pendleton is not included. "Unincorporated" includes 4S Ranch, Alpine, Fallbrook, Lakeside, Ramona, Spring Valley, and Valley Center, as well as the unincorporated areas for which crime data are not individually shown (Campo, Julian, Pine Valley, Ranchita, and the unincorporated areas of Encinitas, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, Poway, San Marcos, Santee, and Vista). Unincorporated statistics have also been updated to exclude crimes now categorized in the Sheriff's "other" category. Percent changes are based on computed crime rates rounded to the precision level of two decimal places. Populations used to compute crime rates reflect the most current California Department of Finance estimates. SOURCES: California Department of Finance; SANDAG Population Estimates August 2012 Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through

20 Appendix Table 3 VIOLENT CRIME RATE PER 1,000 POPULATION BY JURISDICTION San Diego Region, 2008, 2011, and 2012 Change Carlsbad % 25% Chula Vista % -14% Coronado El Cajon % -32% Escondido % 26% La Mesa % -2% National City % -1% Oceanside % 17% San Diego % 7% Sheriff - Total % 11% Del Mar Encinitas % 6% Imperial Beach % 2% Lemon Grove % -1% Poway % -1% San Marcos % -4% Santee % 16% Solana Beach Vista % 19% Unincorporated % 9% 4S Ranch Alpine % 25% Fallbrook % 3% Lakeside % 14% Ramona % 37% Spring Valley % 14% Valley Center % 9% TOTAL % 7% NOTES: FBI Index includes violent crimes, homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Sheriff-Total" includes the contract cities and the unincorporated area served by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, as well as crimes reported in the Sheriff's "other" category that includes the Sheriff's detention facilities, courts staffed by the Sheriff, and crimes reported to the Sheriff that were determined to have occurred in a city not served by the Sheriff or a location for which jurisdiction could not be determined. Camp Pendleton is not included. "Unincorporated" includes 4S Ranch, Alpine, Fallbrook, Lakeside, Ramona, Spring Valley, and Valley Center, as well as the unincorporated areas for which crime data are not individually shown (Campo, Julian, Pine Valley, Ranchita, and the unincorporated areas of Encinitas, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, Poway, San Marcos, Santee, and Vista). Unincorporated statistics have also been updated to exclude crimes now categorized in the Sheriff's "other" category. Percent changes are based on computed crime rates rounded to the precision level of two decimal places and are not presented if either comparison number equals 30 or less. Populations used to compute crime rates reflect the most current California Department of Finance estimates. SOURCES: California Department of Finance; SANDAG Population Estimates August Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through 2012

21 Appendix Table 4 PROPERTY CRIME RATE PER 1,000 POPULATION BY JURISDICTION San Diego Region, 2008, 2011, and 2012 Change Carlsbad % 6% Chula Vista % <1% Coronado % 5% El Cajon % -3% Escondido % 20% La Mesa % 12% National City % 2% Oceanside % 11% San Diego % 6% Sheriff - Total % 7% Del Mar % 18% Encinitas % 24% Imperial Beach % 8% Lemon Grove % 4% Poway % -10% San Marcos % 4% Santee % 12% Solana Beach <1% 28% Vista % -8% Unincorporated % 8% 4S Ranch % 6% Alpine % 7% Fallbrook % -8% Lakeside % -9% Ramona % 26% Spring Valley % -2% Valley Center % 25% TOTAL % 6% NOTES: FBI Index includes property crimes, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft. Sheriff-Total" includes the contract cities and the unincorporated area served by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, as well as crimes reported in the Sheriff's "other" category that includes the Sheriff's detention facilities, courts staffed by the Sheriff, and crimes reported to the Sheriff that were determined to have occurred in a city not served by the Sheriff or a location for which jurisdiction could not be determined. Camp Pendleton is not included. "Unincorporated" includes 4S Ranch, Alpine, Fallbrook, Lakeside, Ramona, Spring Valley, and Valley Center, as well as the unincorporated areas for which crime data are not individually shown (Campo, Julian, Pine Valley, Ranchita, and the unincorporated areas of Encinitas, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, Poway, San Marcos, Santee, and Vista). Unincorporated statistics have also been updated to exclude crimes now categorized in the Sheriff's "other" category. Percent changes are based on computed crime rates rounded to the precision level of two decimal places. Populations used to compute crime rates reflect the most current California Department of Finance estimates. SOURCES: California Department of Finance; SANDAG Population Estimates August 2012 Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through

22 Appendix Table 5 NUMBER OF FBI INDEX CRIMES BY JURISDICTION San Diego Region, 2008, 2011, and 2012 Change Carlsbad 2,585 2,180 2,374-8% 9% Chula Vista 7,346 5,677 5,662-23% <-1% Coronado % 3% El Cajon 3,883 2,997 2,769-29% -8% Escondido 4,749 3,705 4,515-5% 22% La Mesa 2,281 1,760 1,956-14% 11% National City 2,667 2,186 2,232-16% 2% Oceanside 4,980 4,469 5,017 1% 12% San Diego 46,412 34,813 37,229-20% 7% Sheriff - Total 19,583 15,912 17,261-12% 8% Del Mar % 16% Encinitas 1,164 1,177 1,446 24% 23% Imperial Beach % 7% Lemon Grove % 3% Poway % -8% San Marcos 1,822 1,657 1,729-5% 4% Santee 1,326 1,109 1,263-5% 14% Solana Beach % 22% Vista 3,041 2,412 2,350-23% -3% Unincorporated 8,643 7,065 7,701-11% 9% 4S Ranch % 4% Alpine % 10% Fallbrook % -6% Lakeside 1,130 1, % -4% Ramona % 28% Spring Valley 1,840 1,280 1,306-29% 2% Valley Center % 22% Other Sheriff % 101% California Highway Patrol % -24% California State University San Marcos % -13% San Diego State University % 12% University of California San Diego % -15% San Diego Harbor Police % 6% California State Parks % 67% TOTAL 97,167 76,106 81,451-16% 7% NOTES: The FBI Crime Index includes homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft. Sheriff-Total" includes the contract cities and the unincorporated area served by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, as well as crimes reported in the Sheriff's "other" category that includes the Sheriff's detention facilities, courts staffed by the Sheriff, and crimes reported to the Sheriff that were determined to have occurred in a city not served by the Sheriff or a location for which jurisdiction could not be determined. Camp Pendleton is not included. "Unincorporated" includes 4S Ranch, Alpine, Fallbrook, Lakeside, Ramona, Spring Valley, and Valley Center, as well as the unincorporated areas for which crime data are not individually shown (Campo, Julian, Pine Valley, Ranchita, and the unincorporated areas of Encinitas, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, Poway, San Marcos, Santee, and Vista). Unincorporated statistics have also been updated to exclude crimes now categorized in the Sheriff's "other" category. 22 Thirty Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1983 through 2012