Asheville’s Persistent Violent Crime Issue Defies National Drop
TL/DR –
Nationwide FBI data shows a significant decrease in violent crime for the period January-March 2024 compared to the same months in 2023. However, some law enforcement officials question the accuracy of the numbers, citing that the data only reflects 72% of reporting agencies. In Asheville, NC, Police Deputy Chief Sean Aardema casts doubts on the true reflection of crime trends based on a three-month period data, highlighting that staffing issues and other factors potentially influence crime rates.
US Violent Crime Dips Early 2024, FBI Data Reveals
FBI’s newly released data reveals a significant decrease in violent crime from January through March 2024 compared to the same period last year. The data, released Monday, shows:
- 26.4% decrease in murders
- 25.5% decrease in reported rapes
- 15.2% decrease in overall violent crime
The data reflects reports from 72% of law enforcement agencies, raising concerns about its accuracy amongst some, like Waynesville Police Chief David Adams. Adams questions the report’s reliability due to the incomplete reporting.
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Asheville Deputy Chief Sean Aardema argues that three months of data isn’t sufficient to understand crime trends. Aardema reveals that Asheville’s violent crime rates remain similar to those of 2023.
Aardema mentions that murder rates don’t necessarily reflect true violent crime trends. In 2022, Asheville’s year-to-date murder rate peaked, with eight murders by June, correlating with staffing crisis at the city’s police department.
Despite this, Aardema suggests that reduced staffing and fewer patrol cars could have influenced the increased murder trend around that period. As of current year, three murders have occurred in Asheville, equal to 2023’s count for the same period.
Notably, Aardema highlights that property crimes display a decreasing trend in 2024 compared to 2023:
Burglary-Commercial (Year-to-date)
Burglary-Residential (Year-to-date)
Car Theft (Year-to-date)
Asheville Police Department’s data analysis finds a decline in residential burglaries from 134 in 2020 to 112 this year. Commercial burglaries also fell from 167 in 2022 to 93 in 2024.
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In comparison to Asheville, smaller areas like Hendersonville and Waynesville report lesser violent crime rates. Hendersonville notes a slight uptick in larcenies but decrease in aggravated assaults in 2024 compared to 2023. Waynesville observes a diminished trend in theft-related crimes.
In 2023, Waynesville reported:
- Murder: 0
- Rape: 8
- Aggravated assault: 50
- Larceny: 296
Waynesville’s Police Chief Adams attributes the drop in crime rates to a fully staffed law enforcement team, enhancing street presence and reducing larcenies and burglaries.
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