CONNECTICUT, USA — Crime in Connecticut is on the decline. Connecticut's annual crime statistics report showed that from 2021 to 2022, the state saw a 4% reduction in overall crime.
"I’m not surprised to see the statistics at all. Connecticut has been and remains one of the absolute safest states in the country," said Rep. Steve Stafstrom, co-chair of the Judiciary Committee.
The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection’s Crime Analysis Unit uses information of reported crimes from police departments around the state for its annual report.
It found that violent crime instances of murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault dropped by 13%.
"Our violent crime rate is less than half the national average," Stafstrom said.
The report also found property crimes are down in Connecticut. Burglary, larceny and theft, motor vehicle thefts and arson dropped by about 3%.
The FBI also released its annual crime report Monday which showed across the U.S. property crimes are up.
"We have much less crime, violent and property crimes than pretty much any other state," said Mike Lawlor, associate professor of criminal justice at the Univ. of New Haven.
He said these numbers have improved from where they were at the height of the pandemic.
"There are still problems. There still is more crime than there should be and what you can see here is certain strategies seem to be effective in preventing crime in the first place," Lawlor said.
While the reports show our state is headed in the right direction, some lawmakers argue they’re not reflective of how the people feel about the crime happening in their communities.
"When you speak to the general public they’re still very concerned about the crime that they see out there and it’s really the top issue that’s on everybody’s minds," said House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora.
He said that could have further reaching impacts as well.
"Even though crime is down, car insurance is up over 18% for people. Because crime does have a cost and so when you’re seeing all these car thefts that is impacting people’s wallets," Candelora said.
In a statement about the report Gov. Ned Lamont said:
“This report demonstrates that Connecticut continues to be one of the safest states in the country, with violent and property crimes down from the previous year and below or trending toward pre-pandemic levels. Any instance of crime in our state is unacceptable, and we will continue to improve our public safety record by prioritizing smart on crime policies, gun safety, and support for our most vulnerable residents.”
The full report can be read here.
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