State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) announced today that violent crime in Connecticut reached its lowest level in at least a third of a century in 2022, according to local police departments, and that Connecticut’s violent crime rate continues to remain 60% below the national average, placing Connecticut once again among the safest states in America to live, work and raise a family.
The new 2022 Federal Bureau of Investigation Crime Data Explorer crime data released Monday from 107 Connecticut police departments covering 98% of the population found that violent crime in Connecticut – defined as homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault – dropped 11% from 168.6 incidents per 100,000 residents in 2021 to 150 incidents per 100,000 residents in 2022.
The national violent crime average in 2022 was 380.7 incidents per 100,000 residents, meaning Connecticut’s violent crime rate is less than half the national average.
Connecticut ranked as the third-safest state in America in 2022 for violent crime, coming in behind Maine (103.3 incidents per 100,000 residents) and New Hampshire (125.6 incidents per 100,000 residents). Other states far surpassed Connecticut’s violent crime rate in 2022, including South Carolina (491.3), Texas (431.9), Arizona (431.5) and Florida (258.9).
In the eight communities comprising the 26th Senate District, seven reported declines in violent crime, with Wilton Police reporting an increase from four incidents in 2021 to five in 2022. Darien Police reported a decline from nine to six; New Canaan, from three to one; Redding, two in both respective years; Ridgefield, a decline from seven to zero; Weston, none in either year; Westport, a decline from six to three; and Stamford, about 10% of which is located in the 26th, a decline from 268 to 264.
“In my work as State Senator, and as Essex’s first selectman, I work in tandem with many police officers and hear from them regularly. I have confidence and faith in their work,” said Sen. Needleman. “These results are welcome news and reflect on what we know: Connecticut is safe, one of the safest states in the nation, and we are addressing crimes that do occur, making sure perpetrators are taken into custody.”
Local Connecticut police departments also reported that: Burglaries dropped 11% in 2022 to their lowest level in at least 37 years, and were 51% below the national average; Motor vehicle thefts dropped 7.2% in 2022, and were 30% below the national average; Property crimes dropped 1.6% in 2022 to their second-lowest level in at least 37 years, and were 23.5% below the national average; Larceny rates remained essentially flat in 2022, but were still 16.6% below the national average.