How much crime is there in California?

• After Long-Term Downward Trend, Reports of Crime Increased in Recent Years… After hitting some of the lowest rates recorded in over 50 years, reports of some categories of crime began increasing during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, between 2019 and 2021, reports of homicide increased 43 percent. Similarly, between 2019 and 2023, reports of aggravated assault and motor-vehicle theft increased by 32 percent and 42 percent respectively. Despite these increases, however, reported crime remained far below historical highs reached in the early 1980s and 1990s. Similar trends occurred on a national level. (For more data on California crime data see the Department of Justice Open Justice website.)

• …But Most Types of Reported Crime Declined in 2024. In 2024, reports of nearly every major categories of crime declined, with many approaching or reaching 50-year lows. For example, both overall property crime and burglary rates were at the lowest level recorded since more comprehensive property crime data began being reported in 1969. However, reports of some types of crime increased. Notably, shoplifting—a component of larceny-theft—increased 16 percent between 2023 and 2024. (For more on recent changes in retail-theft, which includes shoplifting, please see Retail Theft in California: Looking Back at a Decade of Change.)

Last Updated: July 2025