Crime Drops to Lowest Level in 40 years

By Lookout Staff

Jan. 23 -- Crime in Santa Monica last year dropped to its lowest level since 1960, continuing a downward trend that saw a 4 percent decline in serious crimes over the previous year.

Reports of serious crimes decreased in Santa Monica to 4,501 in 2003, down from 10,891 in 1993, when crime peaked in the city. Crime has declined nine of the last ten years and seven years in succession, according to statistics compiled by the California Department of Justice.

The decrease bucked a statewide trend that saw serious crime increase in the first nine months of last year by 2.3 percent in California cities with populations of more than 100,000. Santa Monica’s population of fewer than 90,000 swells with workers and visitors who flock to the seaside city.

“Our current crime rate is the lowest in over four decades at a time when tourist and other visitations are at record levels,” the department wrote in a prepared statement released Wednesday.

Violent crime dropped 14 percent in 2003 with every category seeing a drop. Homicides were down from 8 in 2002 to 2 last year, rapes dropped from 33 to 21, robbery from 299 to 242 and aggravated assault from 307 to 290.

The decrease furthers a trend that has seen serious crime fall 62 percent since 1993 and the homicide rate reach a record low in six of the past eight years. Incidences of robbery were down 66 percent over the past decade and rape was down 57 percent.

Property crimes also dropped from 4042 in 2002 to 3946 last year. Larceny dropped from 2811 to 2715 and auto theft from 494 to 462. The only category of crime that saw an increase was burglary, which rose from 737 in 2002 to 769 last year.

However, burglary was down 49 percent since 1993, with seven of the lowest eight years on record posted during the past seven years.

The decline in property crimes -- which dropped to 1950s levels -- also defied a statewide trend, with cities of more than 100,000 posting a 4.7 percent increase during the first nine months of 2003.

“In the 38 years prior to 1994, crime has fallen only two years in succession on three occasions,” according to the department statement. “In the last 47 years, crime has fallen only in 19 calendar years. Nine of those decreases occurred in the past decade.”