New CT crime numbers are out. What you need to know about crimes against people and property.

Hartford Courant – Wednesday, October 30, 2024
By Justin Muszynski

Crimes against persons in Connecticut dropped in 2023, while property crime was up double digits compared to the previous year, according to the Annual Crime Report released Wednesday.

The 136-page report, compiled by the Connecticut State Police Crimes Analysis Unit, is released each fall and is comprised of data collected from every municipal, state and tribal law enforcement agency. The statistics are broken down for each agency as well as compiled together to generate a crime rate for the state as a whole.

The 2023 report shows that “crimes against persons” in the state were down 3.8% compared to 2022. These include categories of murder and non-negligent manslaughter, negligent manslaughter, kidnapping and abductions, assault offenses, sex crimes and human trafficking offenses.

In total, Connecticut had 30,354 crimes against persons reported in 2023 compared to 31,546 in 2022, the report said.

“We know that Connecticut is one of the safest states in the nation, with serious crimes steadily declining over the last decade,” Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Ronnell A. Higgins said in a statement. “At the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, we are committed to our ongoing partnerships with local, state and federal law enforcement as we make Connecticut a safe place to live, work and study.’’

According to the report, 92.6% of crimes against persons were assault offenses, which include those of simple, aggravated and intimidation. The report said 45.8% of victims were between 25 and 44 years old, and 61.4% of crimes against persons were cleared by law enforcement.

The report also said that 68.6% of murders and non-negligent manslaughters involved a firearm and that 45.3% of these crimes occurred between an associate or acquaintance.

“Any instance of any crime is unacceptable, and this data reported by Connecticut’s state and local law enforcement officers shows that our state continues to be one of the safest in the entire country,” Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement. “Over the last several years, we’ve made significant investments in programs and services that are proven to help deter crime, and we need to keep moving forward on these kinds of policies that have a real impact on improving the safety of our communities and the people who live here.

“And while we still have a couple of months left to go in 2024, preliminary data from law enforcement for the current calendar year indicates positive trends are continuing to drive down crime in nearly every category,” Lamont added.

According to the crime report, property crime increased by 11% in 2023 compared to the prior year. These include categories of arson, bribery, burglary, counterfeiting or forgery, destruction, damage or vandalism of property, embezzlement, extortion or blackmail, fraud offenses, larceny and theft offenses, motor vehicle theft, robbery and stolen property offenses.

In 2023, Connecticut had a total of 98,277 property crimes reported, compared to 88,523 in 2022.

According to the report, 21.7% of property crime victims are 55 or older, and 12.1% of these crimes were cleared by law enforcement. Larcenies and thefts accounted for 42.7% of all property crimes in Connecticut in 2023, the report said, with an estimated $352,267,042 worth of property being stolen. According to the report, an estimated $97,125,773 worth of property was recovered.

The report also said that 56.4% of burglaries in 2023 occurred at someone’s residence, while 60% of all burglaries involved forced entry.

The Senate Republican Caucus released a statement on Wednesday saying the double-digit percentage rise in property crimes “is unsettling and should get all of our attention. It reinforces that as lawmakers, we must stand with law enforcement and with victims of crime.

“Law enforcement officers in our state are currently prevented from doing their jobs as a result of policies passed by majority Democrats,” the Senate Republican Caucus added in the statement. “Thanks to Connecticut Democrats, criminals in this state know that our police have been handcuffed by weak leadership at the State Capitol. Senate Republicans will continue to lead the push to help protect our police officers, to untie their hands, to bolster their ranks, to hold criminals accountable and to make our state safer.”

According to the annual report, 31.4% of fraud in Connecticut last year involved a cybercrime. Fraud offenses involving cybercrimes increased by 47% compared to 2022 and by 136.7% compared to 2021, the report said. Identity theft crimes increased by 80.1% compared to 2022 and by 246.7% compared to 2021. In 2023, 35.4% of all fraud victims were 55 or older.

Crimes against society in Connecticut decreased last year by 2.2% compared to 2022, the report said. These include categories of animal cruelty, drug/narcotic violations, drug equipment violations, gambling offenses, pornography, prostitution offenses and weapon law violations. A total of 10,328 of these offenses were reported in the state in 2023, compared to 10,565 in 2022, the report said.

According to the report, drug and narcotics violations accounted for 41.5% of crimes against society in 2023. Crack cocaine made up 30.4% of all drugs seized in Connecticut, which made it the most commonly seized drug. The report also said 32.6% of the drug and narcotic offenders were suspected of being on drugs when they were arrested.

Firearms made up 82.5% of all weapons seized during law violations in 2023, the report said.

Col. Daniel Loughman, commanding officer of the Connecticut State Police, said crime data is instrumental in law enforcement and allows for police to take proactive steps.

“The priority of the Connecticut State Police is to protect the citizens of our state,” Loughman said in a statement. “We are constantly analyzing data like these crime statistics, which allows us to proactively focus our approach to safeguarding Connecticut’s residents and keeping Connecticut safe.

“We are grateful for those residents who continue to be our partners in safety by alerting us to suspected crimes,” he said. “Our Troopers continue to be here for quick responses and proactive efforts.”

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