Violent Crime Rose In The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Area In 2020

Detroit MI

11 March, 2022

12:39 PM

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By Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. Detroit 2022-03-10 During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. violent crime rate rose to its highest level in a decade. The increase was driven by a rise in aggravated assault and, most notably, a historic 29% surge in homicides that made 2020 the deadliest year in the United States since the mid-1990s. Violent crime is a broad category of offenses that includes rape, robbery, aggravated assault, and murder. All told, more than 1.3 million violent crimes were reported in the U.S. – or 399 for every 100,000 people – in 2020, an increase of 18 incidents per 100,000 people from the previous year. Though the precise reasons for the surge have yet to be determined, experts speculate that unrest following the murder of George Floyd, along with social and economic upheaval wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, likely played a role. Gun sales also surged in 2020, and firearms were used in 77% of murder cases, up from 73% in 2019. Here is a look at the states where gun sales are surging. In the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area, located in Michigan, the violent crime rate rose even faster than it did nationwide. According to the FBI, a total of 24,568 violent crimes were reported in the area in 2020, or 570 for every 100,000 people – higher than the 2019 rate by about 53 incidents per 100,000 people. The increase in Detroit is about three times higher than the national increase. Like most metro areas that reported a near-nation-leading year-over-year surge in violence, the overall violent crime rate in Detroit is higher than the national rate. All data used in this story is from the FBI. Only metro areas for which the boundaries defined by the FBI match the boundaries as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau were considered. Because some state and local agencies changed reporting practices between 2019 and 2020, the figures are not comparable, and those states and areas were excluded.     Can't see the article's infographic? Click here to view the original story.This story was originally published by 24/7 Wall St., a news organization that produces real-time business commentary and data-driven reporting for state and local markets across the country.