Some crime dropped in 2024; some rose. See numbers officials say makes CT ‘one of the safest' states
Crime in Connecticut dropped in 2024 compared to the previous year, which included a drop in violent crime that encompassed a dip in murders of more than 30%, according to preliminary statistics released on Tuesday.
The statistics were part of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection's 'Crime in Connecticut' report, which is now updated quarterly.
The preliminary statistics are in line with the National Incident Based Reporting System, which is the national standard for reporting crime. The preliminary stats show a drop in all three categories that are recorded, which include crimes against persons, crimes against property and crimes against society.
'Violent crime, including murder, and property crimes such as motor vehicle theft show substantial declines,' DESPP Commissioner Ronnell A. Higgins said in a statement. 'Connecticut is one of the safest among all states, and we will use the detailed data that we collect and analyze to guide our future decision making.'
According to the report, crimes against persons — more commonly known as violent crime — dropped by 2.6% in 2024 when compared to the previous year. This category in the last quarter of 2024 was the lowest it has been since the first quarter of 2021. The final three months of last year represented a 5.6% decrease in crimes against persons compared to the same time period in 2023.
Crimes against persons includes murder and non-negligent manslaughter, negligent manslaughter, kidnapping and abductions, assaults, sex offenses and human trafficking crimes. There were 29,950 crimes against persons reported in 2024.
According to the preliminary statistics, murders and non-negligent manslaughters dropped by just over 34% in 2024 compared to the previous year. Aggravated assaults dropped by just over 7% in the same time period, and rapes dipped by a little more than 14%, the statistics show.
Instances of criminal sexual contact dropped in 2024 by 18%, while statutory rapes fell by nearly 19%, according to statistics.
The only crimes against persons that saw increases in 2024 were kidnappings and abductions, which rose by 2.3%, and simple assaults which saw a sliver of a rise by 0.1%, the statistics show.
The report notes that, in the most recent quarter (Q4) of 2024, there were 6,986 crimes against persons, a 5.6% decrease from Q4 2023 and that for all 2024, there were 29,950 crimes against persons reported, 2.6% decrease compared to the same period in 2023. The report also notes it is preliminary because, 'some investigations may still be ongoing and the results of such investigations may affect the data in this report.'
Violent crimes typically increase in the warmer months between April and September, though officials noted in the report that this 'was not as apparent' in 2024. Violent crimes accounted for about 24.5% of all crime reported in the state in 2024, the report said. There were 111 murders/ nonnegligent manslaughter and negligent manslaughter cases reported in 2024, the report shows.
Crimes against property, which include burglaries, robberies, car thefts, shopliftings, identity theft, fraud and other types of theft, fell last year by 16.9%. The biggest drop recorded in this category was identity theft, which decreased by about 66%, the statistic show.
Fraud offenses as a whole fell by 38%, which included a 17.1% decline in hacking and computer invasion offenses. Wire fraud in 2024 increased by 24.7%, according to the preliminary stats. Burglaries and robberies each fell by more than 11%, while car thefts dropped by 19.2%. Shopliftings increased in 2024 by 1.5%, the statistics show.
According to state officials, the last quarter of 2024 saw a 17.2% decrease in crimes against property compared to the same time period the previous year and was the lowest it has been since the second quarter of 2021. Property crimes accounted for 67.3% of all crime in the state last year.
Crimes against society, which include animal cruelty cases, drug violations, weapon law violations and pornography or obscene material crimes, dropped as a whole by 4.4% in 2024, the preliminary data show. Animal cruelty cases, however, skyrocketed by 36.7%. Drug and narcotic violations also saw an increase, rising by 3.7%.
The report notes that, in the most recent quarter of 2024, there were 2,231 crimes against society, which was a 9.5% decrease from Q4 2023, and in all of 2024, there were 10,040 crimes against society reported, which is a 4.4% decrease compared to the same period in 2023.
Weapon law violations fell by 17.9%, and obscene material/pornography crimes dropped by 8.8%, the statistics show. Crimes against society dropped 9.5% in the final quarter of 2024 compared to the same time in 2023 and was the lowest it has been since the first quarter of 2021, officials said. Crimes against society accounted for about 8.2% of all crime in Connecticut last year, the report said.
'We will use this data to drive our decision-making, including the guidance we provide to local law enforcement and police chiefs,'' Higgins said. 'Real-time data analysis is a top priority for DESPP so that law enforcement makes the right decisions to keep Connecticut residents safe.'
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Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Some crime dropped in 2024; some rose. See numbers officials say makes CT ‘one of the safest' states
Crime in Connecticut dropped in 2024 compared to the previous year, which included a drop in violent crime that encompassed a dip in murders of more than 30%, according to preliminary statistics released on Tuesday. The statistics were part of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection's 'Crime in Connecticut' report, which is now updated quarterly. The preliminary statistics are in line with the National Incident Based Reporting System, which is the national standard for reporting crime. The preliminary stats show a drop in all three categories that are recorded, which include crimes against persons, crimes against property and crimes against society. 'Violent crime, including murder, and property crimes such as motor vehicle theft show substantial declines,' DESPP Commissioner Ronnell A. Higgins said in a statement. 'Connecticut is one of the safest among all states, and we will use the detailed data that we collect and analyze to guide our future decision making.' According to the report, crimes against persons — more commonly known as violent crime — dropped by 2.6% in 2024 when compared to the previous year. This category in the last quarter of 2024 was the lowest it has been since the first quarter of 2021. The final three months of last year represented a 5.6% decrease in crimes against persons compared to the same time period in 2023. Crimes against persons includes murder and non-negligent manslaughter, negligent manslaughter, kidnapping and abductions, assaults, sex offenses and human trafficking crimes. There were 29,950 crimes against persons reported in 2024. According to the preliminary statistics, murders and non-negligent manslaughters dropped by just over 34% in 2024 compared to the previous year. Aggravated assaults dropped by just over 7% in the same time period, and rapes dipped by a little more than 14%, the statistics show. Instances of criminal sexual contact dropped in 2024 by 18%, while statutory rapes fell by nearly 19%, according to statistics. The only crimes against persons that saw increases in 2024 were kidnappings and abductions, which rose by 2.3%, and simple assaults which saw a sliver of a rise by 0.1%, the statistics show. The report notes that, in the most recent quarter (Q4) of 2024, there were 6,986 crimes against persons, a 5.6% decrease from Q4 2023 and that for all 2024, there were 29,950 crimes against persons reported, 2.6% decrease compared to the same period in 2023. The report also notes it is preliminary because, 'some investigations may still be ongoing and the results of such investigations may affect the data in this report.' Violent crimes typically increase in the warmer months between April and September, though officials noted in the report that this 'was not as apparent' in 2024. Violent crimes accounted for about 24.5% of all crime reported in the state in 2024, the report said. There were 111 murders/ nonnegligent manslaughter and negligent manslaughter cases reported in 2024, the report shows. Crimes against property, which include burglaries, robberies, car thefts, shopliftings, identity theft, fraud and other types of theft, fell last year by 16.9%. The biggest drop recorded in this category was identity theft, which decreased by about 66%, the statistic show. Fraud offenses as a whole fell by 38%, which included a 17.1% decline in hacking and computer invasion offenses. Wire fraud in 2024 increased by 24.7%, according to the preliminary stats. Burglaries and robberies each fell by more than 11%, while car thefts dropped by 19.2%. Shopliftings increased in 2024 by 1.5%, the statistics show. According to state officials, the last quarter of 2024 saw a 17.2% decrease in crimes against property compared to the same time period the previous year and was the lowest it has been since the second quarter of 2021. Property crimes accounted for 67.3% of all crime in the state last year. Crimes against society, which include animal cruelty cases, drug violations, weapon law violations and pornography or obscene material crimes, dropped as a whole by 4.4% in 2024, the preliminary data show. Animal cruelty cases, however, skyrocketed by 36.7%. Drug and narcotic violations also saw an increase, rising by 3.7%. The report notes that, in the most recent quarter of 2024, there were 2,231 crimes against society, which was a 9.5% decrease from Q4 2023, and in all of 2024, there were 10,040 crimes against society reported, which is a 4.4% decrease compared to the same period in 2023. Weapon law violations fell by 17.9%, and obscene material/pornography crimes dropped by 8.8%, the statistics show. Crimes against society dropped 9.5% in the final quarter of 2024 compared to the same time in 2023 and was the lowest it has been since the first quarter of 2021, officials said. Crimes against society accounted for about 8.2% of all crime in Connecticut last year, the report said. 'We will use this data to drive our decision-making, including the guidance we provide to local law enforcement and police chiefs,'' Higgins said. 'Real-time data analysis is a top priority for DESPP so that law enforcement makes the right decisions to keep Connecticut residents safe.'
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
New report says crime is down in Connecticut
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — A new report released by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) shows a decreasing trend in crime across Connecticut. The report which can be read here highlights three key areas, Crime Against People, Crime Against Property and Crime Against Society. Serious crime in Connecticut continued to decline for most of 2024, data shows News 8 talked with some residents who tell us they believe the data and feel it reflects what they see in their community. One man says, 'I would say it probably would represent [decreasing crime] I mean I live on the other side of the state a small little town the crime I haven't seen go up at all.' Another man we talked with says if crime is down it's because police are doing their jobs. DESPP Commissioner Ronnell Higgins sat down with News 8 to go over the findings and data included in the report. 'The results were seeing with crime reductions it's because police officers are out there doing their job that's because police chiefs are leading,' Higgins said. Higgins feels data should be driving decisions for law enforcement agencies across the state. Every police department submits monthly data to DESPP. That data gets analyzed and sent out every three months. Higgins says it used to be released once a year and that isn't going to help departments. Now, the data will be released quarterly. While the data indicates crime is down statewide, some may argue that doesn't properly represent what's happening in their communities. 'This is statewide data, so there may be areas where there are increases. There may be some cities and towns where they're seeing and feeling a spike,' Higgins said. He says it's all about understanding the data and how the numbers get to where they are. He wants to know why we're seeing a decrease and what is causing the drop in crime. For example, he says identity theft is down. 'We see that identity theft is down significantly, [but] is it because people have stopped calling police and are reporting it another way?' Higgins said. Before becoming commissioner, Higgins was a police chief himself. He said that his past experience helps bring a new perspective to the data set. The report also indicated a rise in hate crimes over the last five years. In response, they launched a new Hate Crimes Initiative to tackle the issue in communities across Connecticut. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-11-2024
- Yahoo
Backlog for firearms appeals pushes hearings into 2026
Nov. 2—When 65-year-old John Hinman of Avon applied for a pistol permit to the Avon Police Department on July 19, 2022, he did not foresee any problems. The U.S. Army veteran had never had a run-in with the law and could think of no reason he would be denied a permit. Hinman said he simply wanted to be able to carry a gun to the shooting range with his son-in-law, as is his constitutional right. But it took him more than two years to get approval after his initial denial for "suitability" from the Avon Police Department. Hinman had been denied because of the circumstances of how he left the Army in the 1970s, which he claims was related to a medical condition. Hinman is one of hundreds of people who appeal to the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners each year either to fight a denial or have a permit reinstated after it was revoked. The reason it took Hinman so long to get a hearing is the backlog of cases ― 1,217 as of October. The backlog has been a recurring problem and has delayed the appeals process for at least two decades, since 2001, according to the most recent state audit of the Office of Governmental Accountability. The audit showed a backlog of 1260 cases ― 735 revocations and 525 denials ― in 2022. "The considerable delay between the receipt of appeal requests and the related hearing or negotiated (Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection) settlement may deny appellants their right to a timely hearing," the audit concluded. DESPP reinstates some of the revocations on its own, such as when it is notified that a court order barring an individual from holding a permit expires. The current backlog means that anyone filing an appeal now will be scheduled for a meeting in May 2026 despite efforts in recent years by the nine-member volunteer board to increase the number of hearings. The board meets twice monthly and schedules up to 30 cases per meeting, knowing many have been resolved before the hearing date. Even though some revocations are handled by state police, auditors found a lack of notice to the board resulted in hearings being scheduled that had already been resolved. In fiscal year 2023-24, the board held 21 meetings and heard 193 cases but processed 781 cases, the board's office manager, Nancy Lotas, said. New Britain-based attorney Ralph Sherman, who frequently represents clients coming before the board, said the wait is "egregious" and leads to other problems, such as clients moving before a hearing date and being forced to reapply to a different agency, starting the entire process over. "It's not the board's fault. They can only go through so many cases because they only have so much manpower," Sherman said. His suggestion is to increase the number of board members and split the group up to hold more meetings. There are eight members on the board, nominees from a mix of state agencies, gun groups and individuals, all appointed by the governor. The chairman is attorney Carolyn Futtner, who was appointed as a member of the public. While he understands that volunteering on a board with so much work is likely difficult, Sherman also thinks the problem has been largely ignored. "Why? I don't know why," Sherman said. Denials and revocations In Connecticut, people are disqualified from obtaining a gun permit if they are convicted of any felony and certain misdemeanor crimes ― everything from third-degree assault to second-degree stalking. A criminal conviction is not the only grounds for a denial, however. A person can be denied for reasons that include restraining or protective orders, mental illness or lack of suitability, as was the case for Hinman. Permits can similarly be revoked for things like driving while intoxicated with a firearm or criminal conviction. Someone applying for a temporary pistol permit must first go to the local police chief or equivalent. That person or agency has eight weeks to make a decision, and the approval at the local level ultimately leads to a decision by the the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection's Special Licensing and Firearms Unit, the agency that issues the state permit. As with pistol permit holders, the names of people filing an appeal are kept confidential. Hinman agreed to provide his name after his meeting in September. He said he was stunned by the length of time it took before he could be heard and disagreed with the initial denial. "I had to wait two years," Hinman said with a head shake. Hinman said he was just as perturbed by the denial. During his hearing on Sept. 19, Avon Police Sgt. Jeff Gilbert explained to the board that Hinman was denied for suitability because he checked "no" to a question about whether his discharge from the Army was "less than honorable." "I had no intentions of lying on my application," Hinman said. "It does not say less than honorable. It says 'other than honorable.' I did not serve less than honorably. When I was in the service I served honorably. I was discharged for medical reasons." Hinman explained to the board that he worked on an aircraft carrier in the 1970s and was getting sick during renovations to the ship that included exposure to asbestos. Hinman said he served aboard the USS Forrestal. Hinman's is among a variety of cases to come before the board in recent weeks, several on that September date and others in which people waited more than a year to be told a criminal conviction automatically disqualifies them from obtaining a permit. One man who appeared before the board last month had been denied a permit for lack of suitability by the Naugatuck Police Department. The man, who was not identified, applied for a pistol permit on June 17, 2022. Police said a database search found two instances in which interactions with police and emergency committals led to the decision. The man was taking medication for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. At an Oct. 24 meeting before the board, the man talked about his faith, his visions and being a prophet. He also seemed to indicate he believed he had killed someone with his mind. Attorney Stephen Sanetti, a board member and member of Ye Connecticut Gun Guild, asked the man, "It sounded like you were either dreaming or hearing voices and something about people that were bad people out there you wished bad things about?" The man explained that a woman had shamed him in front of his co-workers. The man did not explain who the woman was or how she embarrassed him. "I've heard of curses and stuff like that. I didn't know they would actually work at that time. I simply sent her a curse in my head. I said what I wanted to have happen. And two weeks later I found out she had passed. I felt bad," the man said. "In your mind do you think you might have helped caused that?" Sanetti asked. The man said he did. His appeal was denied. In its response to the state audit in 2022, the board agreed with recommendations that it reduce its backlog and said it looked forward to DESPP's new background check system feature being implemented. The new system, according to DESPP, has a feature that allows for an electronic interface between DESPP and the board, allowing notices to be sent when a permit is reinstated. Sgt. Brianna Maurice, a member of the Connecticut State Police Special Licensing and Firearms Unit, said the notification system was implemented in 2022. It generates an email to the BFPE when permits have been reinstated, so the staff there can remove people from the docket list immediately. Maurice said her unit on a daily basis handles revocations for protective orders, restraining orders and mental health check-ins ― both voluntary and involuntary. It is also the unit that revokes permits due to referrals based on investigations conducted by state and local police. Requests for comment from the board were not answered. Along with Futtner, and Sanetti, other members of the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners are: Col. Kyle E. Overturf, a representative of the Connecticut State Rifles and Revolvers Association; Dr. Cynthia Conrad, a representative from the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services; Elbert Gray III, public member appointed by Gov. Ned Lamont; Gudrun Johnson, a representative of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection; Chris Lewis, a representative of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection; and Chief Carl Rosensweig, a representative of Connecticut Police Chiefs Association.
