(The Center Square) — FBI data shows the Louisiana city of Monroe had an increase in violent crime but a reduction in property crime.
The violent crime trend is much less drastic than the decline for property crime. Since both departments have similar tendencies, the Monroe Police Department will be utilized since it has a larger sample size.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting database has tracked offense numbers based on what’s reported by law enforcement agencies across the country.
From 2015 through 2019, excluding 2016, the average month in Monroe reported between 150 to 200 violent offenses. The lowest mark came in November 2019 with 139. Occasionally the city would see spikes into the 200-250 range, with the highest one-month count in the decade, 255, coming in March 2017.
In 2020, this trend reversed. The average was between 200 and 250 reports of criminal violence, but there are plenty of instances when a month will dip into the city’s old averages.
Property crime in Monroe has not only lowered on a month to month basis, but its spikes also became less intense.
Exactly a decade ago, October 2014, 528 property offenses were reported. From 2015 through 2017, that number would land between 400 and 500 cases nine times and the average month came between 300 and 400 incidences.
From 2018 to 2023, Monroe had only seven months with property crimes reported between its old average. The highest mark was 323 in October 2022. Almost every month had between 200 and 300 reported cases and the lowest, 176, came in February 2021.
Across Louisiana, reported property crimes have generally decreased since 2014, but so has the percent of population covered, meaning agencies and or areas that report to this database. Violent crime maintained about the same monthly averages with slightly lower peaks.
The accuracy of the FBI’s crime reporting has come under question. The Coalition for Law, Order and Safety says actual crime rates are likely higher than the FBI data show, according to an April 2024 report. The coalition says the FBI’s system for collecting the statistics leads to lower crime reporting levels.
A violent offense includes murder, nonnegligent manslaughter, negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, simple assault and intimidation.
Property crimes are burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson.
