FBI report: Violent crime down in CT - WFSB 3 Connecticut

The Federal Bureau of Investigation released a report that shows violent crime was down in Connecticut in 2014.

The report reflected that Connecticut had “the fourth largest drop in violent crime nationwide over the year prior.” Overall, the report states there was a 9.7 percent decrease in violent crime over 2014.

The drop in the Connecticut crime rate comes after violent crime in 2013 dropped 10.1 percent over the year prior.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said these drops show the work of public safety officials every day.

“We are making extraordinary strides in Connecticut, with crime at almost a 50-year low and violent crime dropping dramatically each year.  We’re being smart on crime – and it’s working,” Malloy said. 

Over the last four years, the governor said they have delivered precipitous crime drops in the state.

“We’ve implemented sweeping reforms, and we’ve enacted smart criminal justice policies.  But we also must look at this issue through a holistic lens.  The extraordinary investments in housing we’ve made, the initiatives to eliminate homelessness, all the work done by our partners to end addiction and give people a second chance – all of it plays a role in reducing crime.  The kind of clear, measurable progress is a credit to the many dedicated police, prosecutors, judicial officials, probation, parole, and corrections officers, crime lab technicians, and the many nonprofits and community groups focused on prevention and rehabilitation,” Malloy said.

The report highlights the following items:

• In states with a population of more than 1.3 million people, Connecticut saw the biggest drop in violent crime of any state in the nation.
• Violent crime in Connecticut during 2014 decreased an overall 9.7 percent, which includes a 5.5 percent decrease in murders, a 12.2 percent decrease in rape, an 11 percent decrease in robberies, and an 8.4% decrease in aggravated assaults.
• Although violent crimes have largely held steady in Connecticut since 2000, the state has experienced a 15 percent drop over the last two years alone.
• Nonviolent property crimes have also decreased in the state during 2014, including a 7.6 percent drop in burglaries, a 2.1 percent drop in larcenies, and a 2.1 percent drop in motor vehicle thefts.
• The total number of index crimes reported for Connecticut in 2014 is the lowest total since 1967.
• Seventeen states experienced an increase in violent crime over the last year.

To read the full report, click here.

To red the full release by the governor, click here. 

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