On Friday, June 3, Governor Rick Scott announced that Florida was at a 45-year crime low and his claims were backed by Attorney General Pam Bondi and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Rick Swearingen. In response, Greene Publishing, Inc. published an announcement of the crime drop as well as basic statistics across Florida.
In truth, while crime over the generalized board was at record lows, violent crimes, such as murder and rape, had reportedly increased across Florida since the data recordings of 2015.
But the statistics were for Florida and the question remained; how is Madison doing amongst this 45-year crime low? Have violent crimes climbed upwards in our own county’s borders or is it defying the state’s data?
According to the FDLE Crime In Florida Annual 2016 report, there were a total of 973 arrests made in Madison County during the 2015 fiscal year. 910 of those were adult arrests, leaving 63 as juvenile arrests.
While 973 arrests is far from the staggering numbers many other counties experience, in comparison to surrounding counties, such as Jefferson, with 459 arrests; Lafayette County, with 248 arrests and Hamilton, with 676 arrests, the count is rather high. It is, however, a decrease since 2014, which sported a total of 1,175 arrests and 2013, which was recorded with 1,297 arrests; slowly, but surely, the total amounts of arrests in Madison County are lowering.
Crimes committed in Madison County
during fiscal year 2015:
One murder by a male offender.
No manslaughter arrests.
One case of forcible rape by a male offender.
Three cases of robbery; all by three male offenders.
93 cases of aggravated assault; 58 male offenders, 27 female offenders, four juvenile male offenders and four juvenile female offenders.
28 cases of burglary; 21 male offenders, four female offenders, three juvenile male offenders and no juvenile female offenders.
58 cases of larceny/theft; 38 male offenders, 15 female offenders, three juvenile male offenders and two juvenile female offenders.
Four cases of motor vehicle theft; all by male offenders.
One kidnap/abduction.
No arson arrests.
122 cases of simple assault; 71 male offenders, 37 female offenders, 10 juvenile male offenders and four juvenile female offenders.
290 cases of drug or narcotic offenses; 233 male offenders, 46 female offenders, eight juvenile male offenders and three juvenile female offenders.
No bribery arrests.
No embezzlement arrests.
13 cases of fraud; eight male offenders, five female offenders and no juvenile offenders of either gender.
Nine cases of counterfeit or forgery related arrests; six male offenders, three female offenders and no juvenile offenders of either gender.
No blackmail/extortion arrests.
Five cases of intimidation; four male offenders, no female offenders, no juvenile male offenders and one juvenile female offender.
No prostitution arrests.
Seven cases of non-forcible sex; two male offenders, two female offenders, two juvenile male offenders and one juvenile female offender.
Eight cases involving stolen property; seven male offenders, one female offender and no juvenile offenders of either gender.
32 cases of DUI; 27 male offenders, five female offenders and no juvenile offenders of either gender.
19 cases of property destruction or vandalism; 15 male offenders, three female offenders, one juvenile male offender and no juvenile female offenders.
No gambling arrests.
28 cases of weapons violations; 25 male offenders, three female offenders, one juvenile male offender and no juvenile female offenders.
One liquor law violation by a female offender.
250 miscellaneous cases; 186 male offenders, 49 female offenders, 10 juvenile male offenders and five juvenile female offenders.
While the data report for the current year will not be completed and available for a matter of months, it can only be hoped that the crime-level in Madison County continues to see the downward slope that is has already began to travel down.
To browse previous year editions of the Arrest by County files that are compiled by the FDLE, visit www.fdle.state.fl.us/cm-s/FSAC/Data-Statistics.