{"id":204565,"date":"2026-08-31T10:26:35","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T17:26:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=204565"},"modified":"2026-08-31T10:26:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T17:26:35","slug":"californias-crime-rates-are-at-record-lows-governor-gavin-newsom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=204565","title":{"rendered":"California\u2019s Crime Rates are at Record Lows ~ Governor Gavin Newsom"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_2 whattoknow  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">\n<p>Sacramento, CA&#8230;Since 2024, California has seen double-digit declines in every major crime category tracked, including: homicide 18.6%, robbery 19.9%, property crime 14.3%, motor vehicle theft 25.8%, and violent crime 10.2%. In 2025, every major statewide crime rate fell \u2014 and California recorded its lowest homicide rate since statewide reporting began in 1966.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a California public safety story you probably won\u2019t see on Fox News \u2013 crime is way down. In fact, California just recorded its lowest homicide rate in state history, while every major statewide crime category declined in 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_3 news-body-text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">\n<p>That did not happen by accident. Every major statewide\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/2026\/07\/01\/crime-reaches-historic-lows-californias-public-safety-investments-deliver-results\/\">crime rate declined<\/a>\u00a0in 2025 and California\u2019s homicide rate is now 3.5 per 100,000 \u2014 the lowest recorded since statewide reporting began nearly six decades ago.<\/p>\n<p>That progress reflects a sustained, whole-of-government approach to public safety: putting more law enforcement officers on the ground, giving state and local agencies better tools, disrupting organized criminal networks, keeping guns out of dangerous hands, taking deadly drugs out of circulation and investing in prevention and intervention.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_4 quote  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">\n<p>Some people have built a business out of telling Californians that their state is falling apart. The facts tell a different story. Crime is down across the board. Homicides are at a historic low. We\u2019re doing the work, measuring the results and making California safer.<\/p>\n<p><small>Governor Gavin Newsom<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_5 news-body-text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-112248 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Public-Safety-Week.2.png\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1080px, 100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Public-Safety-Week.2.png 1080w, https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Public-Safety-Week.2-980x1225.png 980w, https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Public-Safety-Week.2-480x600.png 480w\" alt=\"A graphic that says Since 2024, California saw double-digit declines in every major crime category tracked, including: Homicide: \u2193 18.6% Robbery: \u2193 19.9% Property crime: \u2193 14.3% Motor vehicle theft: \u2193 25.8% Violent crime: \u2193 10.2%\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1350\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Since 2024, California saw<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/2026\/07\/01\/crime-reaches-historic-lows-californias-public-safety-investments-deliver-results\/\">\u00a0<b>double-digit declines<\/b><\/a>\u00a0in every major crime category tracked, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Homicide: \u2193 18.6%<\/li>\n<li>Robbery: \u2193 19.9%<\/li>\n<li>Property crime: \u2193 14.3%<\/li>\n<li>Motor vehicle theft: \u2193 25.8%<\/li>\n<li>Violent crime: \u2193 10.2%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>California\u2019s homicide rate is now 3.5 per 100,000 \u2014 the lowest rate since statewide reporting began in 1966.<\/p>\n<p>Since Governor Newsom took office, the homicide rate is down 20%, robbery 31%, property crime 24%, motor vehicle theft 19% and violent crime 3%.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Comparing California to other states\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>California\u2019s homicide rate remains substantially lower than rates in many other states. According to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/state-stats\/deaths\/homicide.html\">\u00a0<b>CDC data<\/b><\/a>\u00a0from 2024, the latest year available for all states, California\u2019s homicide rate fell from 5.1 to 4.5 per 100,000. Mississippi\u2019s rate (19.7) was more than four times California\u2019s; Louisiana\u2019s rate (15.2) was more than three times California\u2019s; Alabama\u2019s rate (13.3) was nearly three times California\u2019s; and Tennessee (10.0), South Carolina (9.9), Missouri (9.4), and Georgia (9.2) all had rates more than double California\u2019s.<\/p>\n<h2><b>State and local law enforcement working together<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Public safety works best when state and local law enforcement have the resources and capacity to work together.<\/p>\n<p>That is why California has invested in deeper regional partnerships through the California Highway Patrol, allowing state officers to work side-by-side with local police departments and sheriffs to target crime where it is most concentrated. In 2024, California also reached its goal of adding<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/2024\/11\/16\/photos-chp-graduation-realizes-multiyear-administration-goal-of-hiring-1000-new-officers\/\">\u00a0<b>1,000 new CHP officers<\/b><\/a>, strengthening the state\u2019s ability to support local law enforcement and respond to crime statewide.<\/p>\n<p>In 2025, CHP crime suppression teams<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/2025\/08\/28\/governor-newsom-deploys-new-teams-to-fight-crime-in-major-california-cities-building-on-existing-successful-efforts\/\">\u00a0<b>expanded<\/b><\/a>\u00a0to San Diego, the Inland Empire, Los Angeles, the Central Valley, the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area, bringing sustained enforcement and greater visibility to communities that need it most.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Going after organized crime \u2014 not just individual crimes<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Organized retail theft does not stop at a city or county line. Criminal networks operate across jurisdictions, which is why California built a statewide response.<\/p>\n<p>Established in 2019, the Organized Retail Crime Task Force has brought law enforcement, prosecutors and retailers together to identify and dismantle organized theft networks. California has backed that strategy with major investments in local enforcement, investigative technology, regional operations and vertical prosecution.<\/p>\n<p>In 2023, Governor Newsom launched the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/2023\/09\/14\/california-makes-largest-ever-investment-to-combat-smash-and-grabs\/\">\u00a0<b>largest-ever state investment<\/b><\/a>\u00a0in organized retail theft, awarding more than $242 million to 38 local law enforcement agencies.<\/p>\n<h2><b>California leads the nation on gun safety<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>California believes gun violence is preventable \u2014 and has built a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2026-Gun-Safety-Laws-Fact-Sheet.pdf\">\u00a0<b>national model<\/b><\/a>\u00a0for doing something about it.<\/p>\n<p>The state is ranked #1 in the nation for gun law strength by both the<a href=\"https:\/\/giffords.org\/lawcenter\/resources\/scorecard\/?scorecard=CA\">\u00a0<b>Giffords Law Center<\/b><\/a>\u00a0and<a href=\"https:\/\/everytownresearch.org\/rankings\/state\/california\/\">\u00a0<b>Everytown for Gun Safety<\/b><\/a>\u00a0and consistently maintains one of the nation\u2019s lowest firearm death rates.<\/p>\n<p>California put robust state investment in community violence intervention on the map. What began as a $9 million-a-year program grew roughly eightfold\u2014more than the state had invested in all prior years combined\u2014and the Governor signed<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/2023\/09\/26\/governor-newsom-strengthens-californias-nation-leading-gun-safety-laws\/\">\u00a0<b>Assembly Bill 28<\/b><\/a>, creating the first dedicated funding stream for the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Program.<\/p>\n<p>California was the first state in the nation to enact a<a href=\"https:\/\/gunsafety.ca.gov\/\">\u00a0<b>Gun Violence Restraining Order law<\/b><\/a>. Now, families have access to nine different protection orders that can temporarily remove firearms from individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others.<\/p>\n<p>The state has paired these protections with universal background checks, stronger safe-storage requirements, measures targeting ghost guns and gun trafficking, accountability for irresponsible dealers and investments in community-based violence prevention.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Taking on the illicit markets that hurt Californians\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>California\u2019s public safety strategy also recognizes that threats evolve. Recognizing that the illicit drug markets endanger both public safety and public health, California has paired enforcement with treatment and prevention efforts.<\/p>\n<p>Fentanyl remains one of the deadliest drugs in circulation, and California is attacking the supply chain at every level. The state has paired major investments in treatment, prevention and<a href=\"https:\/\/calrx.ca.gov\/naloxone\/\">\u00a0<b>naloxone<\/b><\/a>\u00a0with intelligence-driven enforcement targeting traffickers and major distribution hubs. The statewide<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhcs.ca.gov\/individuals\/naloxone-distribution-project\/\">\u00a0<b>Naloxone Distribution Project<\/b><\/a>\u00a0has reported 460,000+ opioid overdose reversals.<\/p>\n<p>California National Guard<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/2023\/09\/07\/governor-newsom-increases-calguard-at-border\/\">\u00a0<b>counterdrug teams<\/b><\/a>\u00a0provide critical analytical, investigative and logistical support to law enforcement, helping identify trafficking patterns, support interdictions and build cases against organized criminal networks.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, California is going after the illicit cannabis market, protecting consumers and legitimate businesses from unlicensed operators. Governor Newsom established the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/2026\/04\/20\/california-marks-10-years-since-voter-approved-cannabis-legalization\/\">\u00a0<b>Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force<\/b><\/a>\u00a0in 2022 to bring state, local and federal agencies together to disrupt illegal cannabis operations and strengthen enforcement across jurisdictions.<\/p>\n<p>The state has also moved aggressively against intoxicating<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/2024\/04\/26\/california-takes-action-to-protect-youth-from-illegal-hemp-products\/\">\u00a0<b>hemp products<\/b><\/a>\u00a0and, more recently,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/2026\/03\/03\/governor-newsom-announces-95-compliance-with-prohibition-of-illegal-kratom-products\/\">\u00a0<b>kratom and 7-hydroxymitragynine<\/b><\/a>\u00a0(7-OH) products after growing evidence of serious health risks. California began enforcing its prohibition on kratom and 7-OH months before recent federal action \u2014 working with retailers and partners to get dangerous products off store shelves and out of the hands of children and young adults.<\/p>\n<p>The results speak for themselves: crime is down. California is leading the nation on gun safety. State and local law enforcement are working together more closely. Organized criminal networks are being targeted. Deadly drugs and illicit products are being taken out of circulation. California will keep doing the work to make communities safer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sacramento, CA&#8230;Since 2024, California has seen double-digit declines in every major crime category tracked, including: homicide 18.6%, robbery 19.9%, property crime 14.3%, motor vehicle theft 25.8%, and violent crime 10.2%. In 2025, every major statewide crime rate fell \u2014 and California recorded its lowest homicide rate since statewide reporting began in 1966. Here\u2019s a California [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":204566,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,5,16,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-204565","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-government","category-law-enforcement","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Public-Safety-Week.2-980x1225-1.webp","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204565","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=204565"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204565\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":204567,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204565\/revisions\/204567"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/204566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=204565"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=204565"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=204565"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}