BCA annual crime report: Violent crimes, carjacking down in Minnesota
File photo of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (FOX 9)
(FOX 9) - The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) released its annual crime report for 2023, with violent crime decreasing since 2022, while bias crimes and assaults against police officers have increased.
Every year, local law enforcement agencies report their crime data to the BCA, including reports of missing children, firearms discharged by law enforcement, offenses, police reports, and more. The BCA then compiles the data into an annual report.
Here is a breakdown of the data for 2023:
What crime decreased?
According to the report, violent crime decreased 6.9% overall in 2023. The seven-county Twin Cities metro area saw an 8.2% decrease, while greater Minnesota had a 3.4% decrease in violent crime.
There were 475 fewer reported robberies in 2023 than the year before. Meanwhile, reports of burglaries dropped 14.22% in 2023, with 10,416 compared to 12,144, and thefts also decreased 14.29%.
In 2023, 15,612 vehicles were reported stolen, 1,131 fewer than the year prior. Carjackings also decreased 37.8%, with 372 incidents in 2023 compared to 598 the year before.
The BCA says larceny has been the lowest in 55 years, with 72,701 reported incidents.
The number of reported rapes decreased by 11.85% in 2023, but 40.5% of those victims were reported to be minors, according to the report.
The number of murders stayed relatively the same, with 181 in 2023, one less than the previous year. Additionally, the percentage of firearms used in crime decreased from 73.1% in 2022 to 69.6% in 2023.
Arson also stayed pretty steady, with 626 reports in 2023, two fewer than in 2022.
What crime increased?
While many crimes are trending down, bias crimes have increased. The BCA data indicates 180 incidents were reported in 2023, up from 168 in 2022. The most common offenses reported include property damage, intimidation, and simple assault, and they most frequently occur at someone's home.
In 2023, there was a slight increase in assaults against peace officers. The data indicates 961 incidents were reported in 2023, with 1,206 officers having been assaulted, compared to 859 reports and 1,062 officers assaulted in 2022.
There were no law enforcement fatalities in 2022, but one died in 2023. Furthermore, there were 21 use-of-force incidents, the same as in 2022, but two fewer people died in 2023.
The number of arrests also increased, with 114,538 reported in 2023 compared to 112,581 in 2022. Furthermore, 10,948 juveniles were reportedly arrested in 2023, up 403 from the year before.
To see the full report, click here.