JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Crime is down across Florida for a 50-year low, according to the 2021 Annual Uniform Crime Report.
The report covers 2021 and shows Florida’s total crime volume dropped 8.3 percent, or 38,524 fewer reported index crimes, compared to 2020.
Murder was down 14 percent and robbery was down 17.5 percent in 2021. Aggravated assault was down 1.6 percent.
Other crimes related to theft also saw a decline in 2021 according to the report. Burglary was down 15%, larceny was down nearly 9 percent, and there was a drop in the number of cars stolen, statewide. Motor vehicle theft was also down 6.4 percent.
Violent and property crimes, and domestic violence crimes, were down in 2021 according to the report. The one area that yielded concerning results was rapes, which were up 13.7 percent.
In order to create this report, 239 law enforcement agencies in Florida submitted crime stats covering 57.5 percent of the population.
The data was combined into a statewide aggregate covering the entire population of Florida and compared to 2020 annual figures to determine statewide trends for 2021. Not all agencies submitted summary-based crime statistics because they are transitioning to Florida Incident-Based Reporting System.
This data can be used by law enforcement agencies to target their resources more effectively, by governments to guide policy and by researchers and the public working to understand crime in Florida.
Incident-based crime stats will be published quarterly, with the next report published on February 28, 2023.