Crime rates soar in Washington, DC, compared to 2022
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The Metropolitan Police in Washington, DC, reports that crime rose significantly in 2023 compared to 2022, with arson, robbery, and homicide seeing the most significant increases.
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Washington Metropolitan Police patrol the area outside the E. Barrett Prettyman US Federal Courthouse, Aug. 3, 2023, in Washington (AP)
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has released its year-to-date crime comparison report, shedding light on the evolving crime landscape in the nation's capital. As of August 8, 2023, the data show an alarming increase in violent crimes.
Homicide has seen a significant surge of 28%, with reported cases jumping from 126 in 2022 to 161 in 2023. Similarly, instances of sex abuse have risen by 19%, escalating from 79 to 94 cases. Assault with a dangerous weapon, another violent crime category, witnessed a more moderate uptick of 4%, climbing from 849 incidents in 2022 to 884 in 2023.
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The most startling rise was observed in the robbery category, which experienced a staggering 60% increase; reported robberies surged from 1,296 in 2022 to 2,077 in 2023.
These developments cumulatively contributed to a 37% increase in overall violent crime, from 2,350 cases in 2022 to 3,216 cases in 2023.
In the realm of property crimes, motor vehicle thefts ballooned by a staggering 114%, skyrocketing from 2,054 in 2022 to 4,397 in 2023.
Meanwhile, theft from automobiles showed a relatively modest increase of 1%, rising from 4,659 to 4,706 cases. Theft in other contexts, however, saw a more considerable 25% surge, with incidents growing from 6,073 in 2022 to 7,597 in 2023. The arson category also experienced an exceptional leap, with reported cases increasing by a whopping 300%, rising from 2 incidents in 2022 to 8 in 2023.
The overall property crime index registered a 29% upswing, reaching 17,331 cases in 2023 compared to 13,443 in 2022.
The year-to-date data conclude that the total number of reported crimes across all categories has risen by 30%, with a total of 20,547 incidents in 2023 compared to 15,793 in 2022.
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These statistics are based on DC Code Offense definitions and may not accurately reflect the Part I crime totals reported to the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), the Metropolitan Police said. The MPD emphasizes that this report is preliminary and subject to change due to amendments in classification, unfounded cases, or changes in offense definitions.
