Crime fell across Florida in the first half of 2017, according to the Semi-Annual Uniform Crime Report from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, although the rate varies widely between individual counties.
While there were more than 6,000 fewer crimes reported in Florida in the first sixth months of the year -- a two percent drop -- overall crime was nearly flat in Duval and St. Johns counties, marginally higher in Alachua and Bradford counties and there was a spike in Union County, although due to the small number of crimes in the rural county, the overall number of crimes was not that high.
Crime in the first half of the year was down significantly in Putnam County and Nassau counties, noticeably in Baker, Clay, Columbia and Flagler counties, our News4Jax partner reported.
With six weeks left in 2017, Jacksonville had already reached 120 homicides as of Tuesday, the same number as all 12 months of 2016, according to our News4Jax partner.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has investigated more than 100 homicides in all but two of the last 10 years.
The crimes of murder, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and larceny were down statewide while the crimes of rape and motor vehicle theft increased. Domestic violence fell one percent, with domestic violence murder and aggravated assault down while rape and stalking were up.
"Floridians and visitors are the safest they’ve been in nearly a half-century and we will continue to fully support our law enforcement members as they work to make the Sunshine State the safest place to raise a family," Gov. Rick Scott said in a statement accompanying the FDLE release.
The UCR calculates crime volume, the number of index crimes known to law enforcement. The report, including county-by-county breakdowns, can be found on FDLE’s website.
FDLE has tracked crime statistics since 1971.
