Violent Crime Still Skyrocketing in WA? Stats Say Yes

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The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) has just released its latest crime data for WA State, and it does not look promising.

   The report shows continued increases in crime, especially violent acts

By way of the Spokane County Sheriffs Office, and other sources, the WA Crime Data Report lists crime numbers, and this latest report compares 2019 through the end of 2023.

According to the data: (comparing 2019 with 2023)

• The increase in murders is five times higher than the national trend increase, 87.4 percent vs. 17.2 percent. Washington's murder rates has increased more than 80 percent.
• Washington's violent crime rates have gone up 19.6 percent, compared with a drop of 4.1 percent nationally.  The WASPC considers violent crimes to be homicide (murder), rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. 
• Aggravated Assault Rates have themselves increased by 27.3 percent, while the national increase since 2019 has been 5.6 percent.
• Vehicle theft rates in WA are twice the national average, with 673.7 thefts per 100,000 of population, compared to the national rate of 318.7 per 100,000.
• Robberies have increased 19.8 percent in WA, while nationally, they've dropped 18.5 percent over the last four years.

According to the SCSO, the WASPC released a statement that read in part:

"WASPC calls  on our state's policy makers to provide balanced public safety approaches that respect victims, provide adequate and meaningful consequences for criminal behavior, support fair and transparent policing, and increase staffing and support for law enforcement."