On Friday, June 3, Governor Rick Scott announced that the crime level in Florida is now at a 45-year low since 1971, when the Sunshine State started keeping data records.
In 2015, there were 10,773 fewer crimes than in 2014, which is representing a 1.6 percent decrease in criminal activity; in total, the crime rate has dropped a whole 3.1 percent since 2014.
“Florida’s crime rate continues to drop thanks to the hard work and dedication of our brave law enforcement officers,” said Governor Scott.
This year, Governor Scott invested more than $4.9 billion in public safety measures in the Florida First Budget. These investments included improvements to the Florida Department of Corrections and increasing staff across Florida’s public safety system.
“We are committed to building safer communities and want Florida to be the safest and best place in the nation to live, work and raise a family,” said Governor Scott. “By investing more than $4.9 billion in public safety measures across our state, we want to ensure that our law enforcement and safety agencies are equipped with the tools they need to keep Florida families safe.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi also weighed in, saying that the 45-year low is the direct result of state law enforcement officers who put their lives at risk every day to protect Florida’s families and visitors. “I cannot express the extent of my gratitude to each and every law enforcement officer in our state for their selfless commitment to the safety of Floridians and our great prosecutors who work to keep the worst of the worst behind bars where they belong,” said Bondi.
“I am proud to join Governor Scott in recognizing Florida’s dropping crime rate. Our dedicated law enforcement officers work every day to protect Florida families and we will continue to do all we can to keep Florida safe,” said FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen.
Despite the drop in crime over the board, violent crimes such as murder and rape have increased since 2015.
Last year, there were roughly 1,040 murders and 7,537 reported rape accounts in Florida.
The crimes that have dropped to reach this 45-year low are crimes such as larceny, robbery and burglary.
There is still quite a long way to go before Florida can indeed become the safest state to ‘live, work and raise a family in,’ as Governor Scott hopes, but with the dedication of law enforcement agencies around the state and the political and financial support they need, Florida can take steps to moving in a safer direction.