Violent Crime Increases in Massachusetts, Contrary to National Trend, FBI Report Shows
Violent crime has decreased across the United States, but Massachusetts saw an uptick in violent incidents last year, according to the FBI’s annual crime report released on Monday. The data reveals that for every 100,000 individuals in the Bay State, 322 were victims of violent crime in 2022, compared to 301.1 in the previous year. On a national level, the rate declined from 387 to 380.7. However, Massachusetts’ rate remains lower than the national average, as it has been since 2016.
To establish a broader perspective, the recent data indicates a significant decrease in violent crime both locally and nationally over the last three decades. In 1993, Massachusetts reported 804.9 violent crimes per 100,000 people, while the national violent crime rate that year was 747.1.
The rise in violent crime observed last year in Massachusetts is the first increase since 2010 when the rate went up from 462.6 to 468.9. This increase occurred in a state with strict gun laws, where the FBI data reveals that violent crimes involving any type of firearm accounted for approximately 12% of all violent crime in 2022. In comparison, firearms were used in almost 32% of violent crimes nationwide.
In terms of homicides, the rate in Massachusetts rose slightly from 1.9 to 2.1, while the national rate decreased from 6.8 to 6.3. Property crime also witnessed an increase both locally and nationally. However, the national rate (1,954.4 per 100,000 people) remains nearly twice as high as Massachusetts’ rate (1,070.1). The rate of reported rape offenses declined slightly on both the state and national levels.
The report’s accuracy is limited due to some law enforcement agencies failing to provide data. Nevertheless, improved data collection methods contributed to compiling more representative numbers for 2022. The FBI stated that the new data represents 83.3% of all agencies covering 93.5% of the population, a significant improvement compared to the previous year’s data, which only represented 62.7% of agencies and 64.8% of Americans.
Last year’s FBI report was compromised by the non-participation of almost two-fifths of all policing agencies, including major cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. This lack of participation followed a significant overhaul in the reporting system.
In this year’s report, the FBI used voluntarily collected data from agencies that implemented the newer National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Data from agencies still utilizing the older Summary Reporting System was also included, contributing to the increased number of participating agencies. Notably, an additional 1,499 agencies submitted data through NIBRS.
According to Richard Rosenfeld, a criminal justice professor emeritus at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, the nationwide drop in violence can largely be attributed to the reduction of stresses and strains associated with the pandemic. He suggests that the recent increase in violent crime may simply represent a return to pre-pandemic levels.
The FBI anticipates that the ongoing overhaul in data collection methods will ultimately provide more modern and detailed crime data. While the transition can be challenging for police departments, the increased participation in reporting agencies is an encouraging development for generating more comprehensive and accurate crime statistics.