Washington | |
---|---|
Crime rates* (2018) | |
Violent crimes | |
Rape | 45.3 |
Robbery | 73.9 |
Aggravated assault | 189.1 |
Total violent crime | 311.5 |
Property crimes | |
Burglary | 533.5 |
Larceny-theft | 2045.4 |
Motor vehicle theft | 367.3 |
Total property crime | 2946.2 |
Notes *Number of reported crimes per 100,000 population. Source: FBI UCS Annual Crime Reports 2018 |
Crime rates in the state of Washington grew rapidly to large levels from 1960 to 1980, however slowed in growth from 1980 onward. [1] Although the cause of this drop in crime growth from the 1980s cannot be directly determined, it was believed to have been a result from several law enforcement initiatives & policies implemented throughout the state of Washington and across the United States, such as abortion access. [2] [3]
In 2013, the state of Washington was ranked 30th for the states with the highest level of violent crime levels across the United States. [4] In 2016, the city of Seattle reported the highest level of violent crime across all cities in the state of Washington. The city of Tacoma was the next city with the highest level of violent crime. [5]
In response to crime throughout Washington, several programs, strategies, Legislature and Acts have been implemented to reduce the levels of crime as well as prevent crime from occurring. [6]
The following table displays the number of crimes for different categories in every decade from 1960 to 2010.
Number of crimes in Washington from 1960 to 2010 (Every decade) [1] | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Population | Violent | Property | ||||||
Violent | Forcible Rape | Murder | Aggravated Assault | Property | Burglary | Larceny-Theft | Vehicle Theft | ||
1960 | 2,853,214 | 1,616 | 166 | 61 | 503 | 62,072 | 13,098 | 43,657 | 4,507 |
1970 | 3,409,169 | 7,546 | 613 | 120 | 3,624 | 158,858 | 49,244 | 97,279 | 12,335 |
1980 | 4,113,331 | 19,098 | 2,169 | 225 | 11,146 | 265,338 | 76,598 | 172,468 | 16,272 |
1990 | 4,866,692 | 24,410 | 3,115 | 238 | 14,731 | 278,440 | 61,460 | 195,221 | 21,759 |
2000 | 5,894,121 | 21,788 | 2,737 | 196 | 13,043 | 279,144 | 53,476 | 190,650 | 35,018 |
2010 | 6,742,950 | 21,138 | 2,579 | 154 | 12,476 | 249,426 | 55,192 | 168,490 | 25,744 |
The total number of violent crimes that occurred from the beginning of 1960 rose 470% from 1,616 to 8,243 cases towards the end of the decade. [1] The majority of total crimes committed were classified as property crime, with a total figure of 62,072 in 1960. This increased to 149,468 cases at the end of the decade which was the only category with the highest increase in cases. [1] Crimes of murder also rose in cases by 765 throughout the 1960s. [1] The 1970s had an increase in murder cases by 1,469 throughout the decade, a more than 50% increase compared to cases recorded throughout the 60s. Although murder cases in the 70s were the lowest of crimes reported under violent crimes, they had the highest amount of reported arrests per reported crimes averaging 19.82%. [29] Violent crimes further rose to 19,098 cases as well as property crimes rising to 289,235 cases by the end of the 1970s. [1] Throughout this time period, although no direct cause could be determined, it was believed that part of the continuing increases in crime was widely due to soft policies towards parole release of criminals, poor treatment of prisoners and weak rehabilitation programs which all led to re-offending. [3]
Despite the increase in population, increases in crime levels plummeted in most categories for the first time in 30 years since 1960. [1] Property crime had declined, growing only by 13,302 cases by the end of the 1980s compared to the beginning of the decade. [1] There were also notable drops in the number of murders, with only an increase to 238 cases by the end of the 1980s. [1] While there is no determinate cause to this significant drop in crime, it was widely believed that new and harsh law enforcement initiatives led to the decrease in crime across both Washington state and the United States. [2] [3] Violent crime grew by 28% throughout the 80s to 24,410 cases by the end of 1990. This growth rate later dropped by 11% with the total number of cases of violent crime standing at 21,788 at the end of 2000. [1] This reduction in violent crime was believed to originate from the introduction of new gun control laws and laws allowing concealed carry, however the lack of evidence towards these claims dismissed the belief. [2] Additionally, there was also data to suggest that the increase in taxpayer costs contributed to decreasing crime rates through funding towards the criminal justice system in Washington. [30]
These are programs aimed at specific age ranges with the overall purpose to prevent & reduce the risk of crimes and criminals occurring. [31]
Aimed at children before they are admitted to kindergarten. [32]
Aimed at children enlisted from Grade 1 of the US Schooling System to those under 18 and not classified as a juvenile offender. [31]
These are devised and funded by various state, federal and local agencies in Washington state which are later put into implementation by policymakers. [39] [6]
As of October 11, 2018, Capital punishment was no longer applied in this state. [43]
Homicide is an act in which a person causes the death of another person. A homicide requires only a volitional act or an omission that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from accidental, reckless, or negligent acts even if there is no intent to cause harm. Homicides can be divided into many overlapping legal categories, such as murder, manslaughter, justifiable homicide, assassination, killing in war, euthanasia, and capital punishment, depending on the circumstances of the death. These different types of homicides are often treated very differently in human societies; some are considered crimes, while others are permitted or even ordered by the legal system.
Theodore Robert Bundy was an American serial killer who kidnapped, raped and murdered dozens of young women and girls during the 1970s and possibly earlier. After more than a decade of denials, he confessed to 30 murders committed in seven states between 1974 and 1978. His true victim total is unknown.
The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, commonly referred to as the 1994 Crime Bill, or the Clinton Crime Bill, is an Act of Congress dealing with crime and law enforcement; it became law in 1994. It is the largest crime bill in the history of the United States and consisted of 356 pages that provided for 100,000 new police officers, $9.7 billion in funding for prisons which were designed with significant input from experienced police officers. Sponsored by U.S. Representative Jack Brooks of Texas, the bill was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. Then-Senator Joe Biden of Delaware drafted the Senate version of the legislation in cooperation with the National Association of Police Organizations, also incorporating the Assault Weapons ban and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) with Senator Orrin Hatch.
Ann Rae Rule was an American author of true crime books and articles.
Incarceration in the United States is one of the primary means of punishment for crime in the United States. In 2023, over five million people are under supervision by the criminal justice system, with nearly two million people incarcerated in state or federal prisons and local jails. The United States has the largest known prison population in the world. Prison populations grew dramatically beginning in the 1970s, but began a decline around 2009, dropping 25% by year-end 2021.
The National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) is a specialist FBI department. The NCAVC's role is to coordinate investigative and operational support functions, criminological research, and training in order to provide assistance to federal, state, local, and foreign law enforcement agencies investigating unusual or repetitive violent crimes.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a United States federal law enforcement agency within the U.S. Department of Justice that operates U.S. federal prisons and is responsible for the care, custody, and control of federal prisoners.
Articles related to criminology and law enforcement.
Robert David Keppel was an American law enforcement officer and detective. He was also an associate professor at the University of New Haven and Sam Houston State University. Keppel was known for his contributions to the investigations of Ted Bundy and Gary Ridgway, and also assisted in the creation of HITS, the Homicide Investigation Tracking System.
The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) is a federal drug enforcement program in the United States, overseen by the Attorney General and the Department of Justice. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the major drug trafficking operations and tackle related crimes, such as money laundering, tax and weapon violations, and violent crime, and prosecute those primarily responsible for the nation's drug supply.
Mark Wayne Prothero was an American attorney in Kent, Washington. He was best known for serving as defense co-counsel for the Green River Killer, serial killer Gary Ridgway from 2001 to 2003.
The National Museum of Crime and Punishment, also known as the Crime Museum, was a privately owned museum dedicated to the history of criminology and penology in the United States. It was located in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington, D.C., half a block south of the Gallery Place station. The museum closed in 2015 and is now operated as Alcatraz East, a museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Homicide Investigation Tracking System (HITS) is a violent crime database program of the Washington State Office of the Attorney General. The system tracks homicides and rapes in and/or relating to the states of Washington and Oregon and also receives data from at least three other states and Canada. The database provides information on over 14,000 murders and over 10,000 sexual assaults to local law enforcement agencies as well as advice and assistance in ongoing investigations. Notable cases that have been assisted by HITS include Gary Ridgway, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo, and serial killer Robert Lee Yates.
The National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA) is a Washington, D.C. based organization that represents a variety of local, state, and tribal governments on crime prevention and control issues. The organization primarily works as a public policy liaison that promotes understanding of the best criminal justice practices between federal and state governments.
Crime in California refers to crime occurring within the U.S. state of California.
Since 1960, the U.S. state of Ohio has seen a wide variation in the amount of violent crimes reported. In 2014, there were 33,030 violent crimes reported - the lowest rate the state has seen since 1973. In 2012 there were 405,262 crimes reported in Ohio, including 478 murders. In 2014 there were 357,558 crimes reported, including 464 murders.
Crime in Utah manifests in various forms, including but not limited to violent crimes, property crimes, drug-related offenses, and white-collar crimes. While some regions in Utah report lower crime rates relative to national averages, certain urban areas experience elevated levels of specific types of crime. The state grapples with a range of law enforcement challenges that reflect both its urban and rural landscapes, as well as its unique sociocultural factors.
Criminal justice reform seeks to address structural issues in criminal justice systems such as racial profiling, police brutality, overcriminalization, mass incarceration, and recidivism. Reforms can take place at any point where the criminal justice system intervenes in citizens’ lives, including lawmaking, policing, sentencing and incarceration. Criminal justice reform can also address the collateral consequences of conviction, including disenfranchisement or lack of access to housing or employment, that may restrict the rights of individuals with criminal records.
Chuck Rosenberg is an American attorney who served as Acting Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration from 2015 to 2017. He formerly served as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) and for the Southern District of Texas; as a senior FBI official on the staff of two FBI Directors; as Counselor to the Attorney General; as the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Attorney General; and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in EDVA in Norfolk and Alexandria.
Crime in Puerto Rico describes acts of violent and non-violent crime that take place within the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.