The number of homicides that occurred in the region during the first half of 2017 were lower than the first half of 2016, with property crime also showing sizeable decreases, according to a new SANDAG report, Crime in the San Diego Region Mid-Year 2017 Statistics.
In the first half of 2017, homicides in the region decreased 14 percent and rapes reported to law enforcement decreased by 3 percent over the previous year. However, there were slightly more robberies (up 3 percent), aggravated assaults (up 1 percent), and domestic violence incidents (up 2 percent) reported.
Of the nine types of crime included in the report, six saw decreases in the first half of 2017 as compared to the first six months of 2016.
“While crime rates remain at historically low levels, criminal activity can vary from area to area. It is important that the community and law enforcement work together, which includes reporting crime incidents to officials, even if residents think it won’t make a difference,” said SANDAG division director of criminal justice Dr. Cynthia Burke. “Some crimes can be part of a series. The more information law enforcement has, the better able they are to work with us to keep our neighborhoods safe.”
A two-page summary of the findings is available at http://www.sandag.org/uploads/publicationid/publicationid_2129_22413.pdf. Below are selected highlights: Fewer property crimes were reported in each category, including burglary (down 9 percent), larceny (down 9 percent), and motor vehicle theft (down 13 percent). While residential burglaries decreased 22 percent, non-residential burglaries increased 13 percent. Of the total burglaries in the first half of 2017, 55 percent were residential.  Of the 17 jurisdictions with violent crime numbers that could be compared, 12 had a higher violent crime rate in the first six months of 2017 compared to 2016, and 5 had a lower one. 
The statistics presented in this CJ Bulletin include crime rates and numbers for San Diego County and individual jurisdictions for the first half of 2017. Comparisons are made to prior years. 
Since 1980, SANDAG has been reporting crime statistics for the San Diego region through a cooperative agreement with local law enforcement agencies. These data are useful to local law enforcement, policy makers, and the community in general in tracking public safety over time, as well as the effectiveness of crime prevention and response efforts.