January-June: D.C. Property Crime Up 8%, Violent Crime Down 7%

From Matty Rhoades

How are D.C.’s crime stats looking for the first half of 2011? The main number everyone looks for in D.C. is homicides and there is good news to report: There were 55 homicides in the first six months of 2011 compared to 60 in the same period of 2010, an 8% drop.

Overall, crime was up 4% due to an 8% rise in property crimes during the January-June period. Violent crime was actually down 7% during the first six months of 2011 from the same period in 2010. All numbers are from the MPD Crime Database.

See the chart below for specific D.C. crime numbers for the January-June period. Later this week we will have six-month stats for the Dupont, Logan and U Street neighborhoods.

Property Crime Up 8%. There were increases in four of the five types of property crimes: burglaries are up 13%, thefts up 17%, theft from auto up 4%, and arson up 12% (a small number of crimes). However, there were 11% fewer stolen autos in the first six months of 2011.

Violent Crime Down 7%. The only type of violent crime that showed an increase over 2010 was sex abuse, up 3%. Robberies (both with and without a gun) were down 7% from the first six months of 2010. The number of assaults with a dangerous weapon (with and without a gun) were down 9%. Gun crimes (robberies and assaults with guns) are down 16% for the first half of 2011 over 2010.

Total Crime Up 4%. On a year-over-year (YOY) basis, total crime in D.C. is up 4% for the first six months of 2011 compared to the same period of last year. The increase is driven by an 8% increase in property crimes — violent crime is actually down 7% from last year. Property crimes accounted for about 79% of all crimes.

3-Year Trend

What does the three-year trend for the January through June period in D.C. show?

• From 2008 to 2011 violent crime declined 16% for the first half of the year.
• Property crime during the same period declined 11%.
• Total crime — property and violent crime combined — was down 12% between 2008 and 2011 for the first half of the year.
• The number of murders declined from 83 in the January through June period of 2008 to 55 so far in 2011, a 22% drop.
• Gun crimes — robberies and assaults involving a gun — have declined 29% from 2008 to 2011 for the January-June period.

Crime in Washington, DC: January 1 through June 30
Crime Type	2008	2009	2010	2011	% Change 2010 to 2011	% Change 2008 to 2011
Homicide	83	65	60	55	Down 8%	Down 22%
Sex Abuse	212	199	172	177	Up 3%	Down 16%
Robbery without Gun	1,350	1,362	1,281	1,238	Down 3%	Down 8%
Robbery with Gun	669	766	589	502	Down 15%	Down 25%
Assault with Dangerous Weapon (no gun)	1,076	943	1,010	944	Down 7%	Down 12%
Assault with Dangerous Weapon (with gun)	353	307	281	226	Down 20%	Down 36%
Total Violent Crime	3,743	3,642	3,393	3,142	Down 7%	Down 16%
Burglary	2,005	1,709	1,732	1,963	Up 13%	Down 2%
Theft	4,227	4,654	3,999	4,685	Up 17%	Up 11%
Theft from Auto	4,205	4,442	3,185	3,308	Up 4%	Down 21%
Stolen Auto	2,621	2,335	1888	1,680	Down 11%	Down 36%
Arson	23	26	16	18	Up 12%	Down 22%
Total Property Crime	13,081	13,166	10,820	11,654	Up 8%	Down 11%
TOTAL CRIME	16,824	16,808	14,213	14,796	Up 4%	Down 12%