FBI Crime Report 2020: See Trends In California

CALIFORNIA — Violent and property crimes increased in California last year, according to data released by the FBI in its 2020 uniform crime report.

It's a reality that reflects the national trend and rise in homicides. It's also one of the largest increases since the FBI started gathering data in the 1960s.

In California, the FBI estimated crime statistics based on reports from the state’s law enforcement agencies.

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.

“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 California from 2019 to 2020. Property crime went down during the same period. It could be attributed to the pandemic, which forced many people to work from home and follow stay-at-home orders, the Los Angeles Times reports.

In 2020, California had a 30 percent increase in homicides. The national trend pointed to a 29.4 percent rise in homicides.

Property crime dropped 7.7 percent in California, which is similar to the national trend. Nationally, crime decreased by 7.8 percent.

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.

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