MJP –
Murder and other violent crime rates have been falling in Houston for some time now, according to a new analysis. This pattern is also seen in other large cities across the state.
Data on violent crimes collected from over 70 police departments across the nation, including those in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin, is included in the mid-year report by the Major Cities Chiefs Association. Crime statistics from January 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, were the primary subjects of the study.
There have been 148 confirmed homicides within Houston’s municipal borders so far this year, down 15% from 175 in the same period last year. A 5% drop from 8,386 to 7,940 aggravated assaults was also recorded in the study.
Furthermore, the study states that there has been a modest decline in reported robberies from 3,289 in 2023 to 3,208 thus far this year. Nonetheless, rape reports in Houston increased from 750 to 806, a 7% increase, in the past year.
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Although the overall trend has decreased, the number of violent offenses reported in Houston is higher than in Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas this year.
There have been 1,261 aggravated assaults, 23 murders, 189 rapes, and 359 robberies in Austin.
The following crimes occurred in Dallas: 102 murders, 115 rapes, 1,122 robberies, and 2,940 aggravating assaults.
A total of 2,974 aggravated assaults, 856 robberies, 63 murders, and 447 rapes occurred in San Antonio.
The number of recorded rapes and other crimes decreased in all three cities when compared to the same time last year, except Houston.
The total number of homicides recorded nationwide fell from 3,783 in the first half of 2023 to 3,124 in the second half, a decrease of approximately 17%.
Robberies dropped from 48,529 to 45,575, a decline of 6%. There was a 5% drop in the number of aggravated assaults, from 141,944 to 134,293. From 14,472 to 13,064, a decline of 9% in reported rapes.