FBI Crime Report 2020: See Trends In Austin

Austin TX

07 October, 2021

10:43 AM

Description

AUSTIN, TX — Violent crimes increased in Austin last year, according to data released by the FBI in its 2020 uniform crime report. In Austin, the FBI estimated crime statistics based on reports from the Austin Police Department, which began submitting National Incident-Based Reporting System data to the FBI on Jan. 1, 2019. The FBI has issued a caution about the crime data coming in at the local levels, however. Lists comparing cities and counties "provide no insight into the numerous variables that shape crime in a given state, county, city, town, tribal area or region," the FBI said in a statement. Live in Austin? Click here to subscribe to our free breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and download our free mobile app on Android or iPhone. "Consequently, they lead to simplistic and/or incomplete analyses that often create misleading perceptions adversely affecting communities and their residents," the statement continued. "Valid assessments are possible only with careful study and analysis of the range of unique conditions affecting each local law enforcement jurisdiction." The data shows violent crime went up in Austin from 2019 to 2020. Property crime went down during the same period. Violent crimes jumped 11 percent in Austin last year, according to FBI data. In 2020, there were 4,219 violent-crime incidents, and 4,700 offenses reported by the Austin Police Department.In 2019, there were 3,801 violent-crime incidents, and 4,103 offenses reported by the Austin Police Department. On Sept. 13, Austin police cataloged its 60th homicide in 2021, which marked this year as the "most violent year logged in six decades of tracking." Police Chief Joseph Chacon told reporters in September the department has seen a 25 percent increase in homicides so far in 2021, compared with all of 2020, which logged 48 violent deaths. Chacon told Patch he fears the 2021 tally will continue to go up as the city continues to grow and becomes a city with "big city problems." He also attributes several factors that have impacted this rise in violent crimes, including the department's staffing shortage. "This really is a national phenomenon," Chacon said. "It is something that is being seen by big cities all across the country. We are collaborating as cities to determine what the driving factors are for why that's happening, but it is not something that is unique to Austin." Nationwide, the FBI reported an increase in violent crime for the first time in four years. The number of property crimes reported nationally dropped for the 18th year in a row. Violent crime was up 5.2 percent in 2020 from the 2019 number, the FBI said in a news release. Violent crimes are labeled as homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property crimes are listed as arson, burglary, larceny theft and motor vehicle theft. Among violent crimes, murder and non-negligent manslaughter reports saw the sharpest one-year uptick from 2019 to 2020, at 29.4 percent, the FBI said. Property crimes — including burglaries, vehicle thefts and arson — dropped 8.1 percent from 2019 to 2020, the FBI data shows.