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Crime, as measured by reports filed by the local law enforcement departments, was down 14.1 percent in 2020 in Florida, but violent crimes, including murders, were up 2.3 percent, according to official figures released on Monday.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s annual report shows that in 2020 — the year of the COVID-19 pandemic and confinement and movement restrictions — there were 76,523 complaints (14.1%) fewer than in 2019.
Reports of property crimes decreased 17% (78,373 less) and, on the contrary, those of violent crimes rose by 2.3% (1,850 more).
In the latter section, a 14.7% increase in murders stands out, which were 1,285 in 2020, 165 more than the previous year, and a 9.5% increase in assaults, of which there were 60,567 complaints compared to 55,333 in 2019.
Murders with firearms were the most numerous (1,025 of the total) and grew the most (20.2%).
There were 217 and 198 deaths as a result of domestic violence and homicide, respectively.
Reports of rape were down 9.5% and robbery and burglary decreased 17% and 17.8%, respectively.
In total, 507,498 people were arrested as a result of these filed complaints, 23.3% less than the previous year (679,221 arrests).
According to the Department of Law Enforcement, with the 2020 data, this is 50 consecutive years of declining overall crime reporting in Florida.
