California Crime Rate By City 2024 – Latest Statistics

Like any other state, California has had its fair share of crime to manage throughout history. As society continues to evolve, so does the sophistication of various acts of crime. From population-dense areas like Los Angeles and San Francisco to quieter suburban and rural communities, the constantly fluctuating crime rates throughout these areas present unique challenges for California’s leaders to implement solutions that keep communities safe and secure.

By examining the California crime data in 2024, residents and officials can better strategize on public safety.

Analyzing the Data Across Major Cities

To have a stronger sense of what crime has been like so far in 2024, focusing on the statistics among the following California communities can help contextualize what forms of crime are trending the most this year.

Los Angeles

As one of the largest cities in California, Los Angeles has always had a complicated relationship with crime. So far in 2024, there has been a slight decrease in property crimes. This refers to burglaries and auto thefts. The decrease could be attributed to the state’s focus on implementing more technology to monitor certain problematic areas and an intrinsic desire for the community to be more vigilant as they dealt with more serious property crimes in previous years.

Violent crimes also seem to be lowering in prevalence, having decreased by 7% when compared to the same period last year in 2023. However, there has unfortunately been a 9.3% increase in homicides. These mixed crime results for Los Angeles present moments of relief in some areas, yet pressure for officials to reverse the homicide figures.

San Francisco

The crime wave of San Francisco over the past few years has brought attention to this California city and has garnered a great deal of negative press. Fortunately, things appear to be turning around in 2024. In this first quarter, property crime is down 32% across the city. Violent crime is also down 14% when compared to where San Francisco was in 2023.

Most of this success can be attributed to an increase in law enforcement across many of the most problematic areas of San Francisco. Responding to the increase of crime in 2023, leaders in the city deployed more officers throughout the Tenderloin and surrounding neighborhoods. This effort is being cited as one major reason why the statistics are looking more favorable for San Francisco in 2024.

San Diego

At the southern tip of California, the city of San Diego is also seeing a decrease in crime overall. At a high level, there has been a 2.7% decrease. In 2023, there were 45 homicide cases, which is a 13.5% decrease from the previous year. Sexual assaults also went down 16.2% when compared to 2022. When compared to the entire state, San Diego has a reputation for having one of the lowest violent crime rates.

Crime Prevention and Safety Tips

While understanding how the statistics are shaping up across California is important, also recognize that none of these crime categories have a rate of 0%. This means California families still need to remain vigilant to prevent themselves from becoming a crime statistic themselves.

Some general safety tips include:

Stay aware: Whenever you are going about your day, keep a close eye on your surroundings. This is especially true when venturing into an unfamiliar or remote area where there are fewer people standing by to help.

Secure your property: Certain safety measures can prevent a criminal from being able to act on their intentions. Invest in quality locks, security systems, or whatever else is necessary to keep your property in your own hands.

Remain engaged with your community: If your neighborhood has some type of watch program, get involved. The more people who keep an eye on each other, the safer everyone will be.

Report all suspicious activity: Do not hesitate to let law enforcement know when you see something that strikes you as odd. Even if you are not certain if you witnessed unlawful behavior, it’s advised to stay on the safe side and report what you saw.

FAQs

Q: What City in California Has the Highest Crime Rate?

A: While different cities will take the number one spot as the “highest crime rate” each year, it’s true that the larger cities where the population is extremely dense will always be on top. This includes Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Bernardino, and Sacramento, among others. Diverse economic disparity mixed with varying levels of law enforcement can play a role in how many crimes are able to be executed.

Q: What City in California Has the Lowest Crime Rate?

A: Conversely, smaller suburban and rural areas across California traditionally see the lowest crime rates year after year. This can be attributed to lower populations where it’s naturally easier to form tight-knit communities that remain vigilant for each other. This includes areas like Irvine, Thousand Oaks, and Sunnyvale.

Q: Is It Safe to Live in California?

A: Like any state, your safety in California will vary based on where you live. While there are cities that struggle with higher crime rates when compared to the suburbs or rural communities, there are often safe neighborhoods within these cities that you can move into to reduce your risk of being a crime victim. Staying informed on the evolution of crime statistics is always recommended to keep yourself safe as each year of living in California passes.

Q: How Do Economic Factors Influence Crime Rates in California?

A: Economic conditions are almost always aligned to crime rates. The higher levels of unemployment are, coupled with poverty and limited access to education, the better chance there is of that area also having high crime rates. The more communities are able to boost their economies and lower unemployment; the more likely residents will see a downward tick in crime.

Contact Gibbons & Gibbons Today

If you are living in California and are in need of any legal assistance, contact the criminal defense attorneys at Gibbons & Gibbons today. We are proud California residents looking forward to serving you in any legal matter that may arise during your time in the state. Contact us today.