(The Center Square) – Most crime rates declined in Washington state in 2024, according to the annual “Crime in Washington” report compiled by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.
The good news: The rates of murders, violent and property crimes decreased slightly across the Evergreen State. The bad news: Crimes against society – that is, violations of drug and gun laws – were up 31% from 2023.
The report, which tracks crime and arrest data from contributing law enforcement agencies throughout Washington, shows that there were 312 murders in 2024, a decrease of 18.8% over 2023, but still higher than pre-pandemic rates.
Violent crime decreased 7.6% with 29,036 offenses reported in 2024, compared to 31,441 offenses reported in 2023.
Crimes against persons decreased by .08%; domestic violence accounts for nearly 50% of these crimes. In 2024, 110,065 such offenses were reported, compared to 110,989 reported in 2023.
Property crimes decreased 13.4%. The three offenses with the highest percentages are larceny-theft, 44.6%, destruction of property, 21.4%, and motor vehicle theft, 11%.
The significant increase in crimes against society resulted from 27,973 offenses reported in 2024, compared to 21,360 offenses reported in 2023.
“We have seen significant decreases in crime this past year, which is something to celebrate because that means fewer victims,” WASPC Executive Director Steven Strachan said in a news release. “Now, our challenge is to keep this momentum going and continue to improve public safety in our state.”
The ”Crime in Washington” report compiles data from state, county, municipal and tribal agencies. The numbers are derived from the National Incident-Based Reporting System, or NIBRS, submissions.
Police staffing in Washington state has been an ongoing issue for several years. The state consistently ranks last among all states in terms of the number of police officers per capita.
According to WASPC, Washington has 1.38 police officers per 1,000 people, which ranks the state 51st out of 50 states and the District of Columbia for the number of officers per capita. The national average is 2.31.
