Austin Sees Lowest Crime Rate in Five Years, Despite High Homicides and Auto Thefts

Crime rates in Austin are down halfway through 2024, marking the lowest levels in five years for the same period. However, homicides and auto thefts remain a concern, with numbers higher than pre-pandemic. The Austin Police Department (APD) remains cautiously optimistic about the overall downturn, acknowledging the increasing arrests and a drop in crimes against persons and property.

Crime Data and Trends

• The APD uses the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System, showing a decrease in crimes against persons and property by nearly 10% and 13% respectively since 2020.
• The only increase is in crimes against society, typically drug arrests.
• APD's acting data initiatives and analytics strategy officer, Auzzie Krobatsch, notes that police are still responding to many high-priority incidents, possibly linked to a rise in suicides.
• A new crime dashboard released by APD provides data back to 2020.

Homicides and Auto Thefts

• Homicides reported from January to June have doubled compared to the same period in 2019, but crime analyst Jeff Asher notes Austin's rate is lower than other major cities.
• Nationwide, homicides increased during the pandemic, with Austin seeing a record in 2021.
• Auto thefts are also part of a national trend, with Austin experiencing high numbers each month this year, except for June.
• Asher attributes the national spike to a social media challenge, a rare occurrence in crime trends.

Understanding Crime Data

• Asher and Krobatsch address the tricky nature of crime data, acknowledging underreporting but seeing no evidence of a change in reporting behavior.
• According to Pew Research, crimes like personal property theft and rapes were only reported a quarter of the time in 2022.
• Krobatsch emphasizes the importance of reporting crimes, even if an arrest is not immediately made, as it aids future investigations.

The APD remains vigilant, working to interpret data and keep the community informed, encouraging reporting to help ensure accurate crime statistics and effective policing.