New SANDAG Report Finds Decrease in Homicides and Rapes in the First Half of 2023

Crime reported in the San Diego region from January to June 2023 was lower when compared to numbers from mid-year 2022, according to a new SANDAG report by the Criminal Justice Research Division, Crime in the San Diego Region Mid-Year 2023 Statistics.

This is the first report published by SANDAG using the California Incident Based Reporting System (CIBRS)/ National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS). The new system that replaced the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system, includes additional crime categories and multiple offenses can be included in each incident, not just the highest as it was with UCR.

“This transition to the new crime reporting system is a significant change and reflects the strong partnerships. For the first time we are better able to track crimes against society and understand the nature of different offenses and how they affect our communities,” said SANDAG Principal Criminal Justice Researcher Octavio Rodriguez. “SANDAG looks forward to continuing to partner with ARJIS and regional law enforcement agencies as this transition continues, including providing additional analyses and making data available on our Open Data Portal.”

Crimes against people including homicide and rape, with the exception of aggravated assaults, decreased. 44 homicides and 679 rapes were reported in the first half of 2023, compared to 53 and 949 in the same timeframe the previous year. For the 22 homicides in which a motive could be determined, arguments were the most frequent (50%), followed by gang involvement (23%).

Other notable findings in the SANDAG report include:

• Property crime accounted for 58% of the total crimes committed in the San Diego region

• Robberies across the region decreased 12% from 1,343 to 1,180

• Motor vehicle thefts decreased 4% from 5,992 to 5,753

Since 1980, SANDAG has reported crime statistics for the San Diego region through a cooperative agreement with local law enforcement agencies. These data are used by local law enforcement, policymakers, and the community to track public safety and the effectiveness of crime prevention and response efforts over time.

SANDAG will continue to use data to understand current trends and to inform and create a fairer region.

To learn more, read the SANDAG Crime in the San Diego Region Mid-Year 2023 Statistics for a full breakdown of the data collected.

For a summary of this report, view SANDAG CJ Flash: Crime in the San Diego Region in the First Half of 2023.