SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. — The Memphis Shelby Crime Commission released the latest crime report data from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and there’s both good and bad news for Memphis and Shelby County.
According to the latest report, major property crime and overall crime has continued its downward trend in both Memphis and Shelby County when compared to previous years. Major property crimes, like burglaries, vehicle thefts and other felony thefts, have hit a record low when compared to the data going back to 2006.
These crimes are roughly 35 percent lower than the 2006 numbers in both juristictions.
Though gun violence and major violent crime is on the rise in Memphis, the city is not alone.
“This is a trend that is occurring around the country in 2020. Memphis is not alone,” Bill Gibbons, Shelby County Crime Commission, said. “Obviously 2020 was a tough year.”
There are positives to take away. Numbers also show major property crime and overall crime continuing a downward trend. Experts believe some of that is because memphians were home more during the pandemic and criminals want to avoid confrontation.
“Most criminals try to look for an opportunity. And when people are at home, they’re less likely to break into those homes,” Gibbons said.
Burglaries in Memphis decreased 26 percent when compared to 2019, and that’s likely in part due to the pandemic, the report noted. When compared to the 2006 numbers, burglaries have fallen 66 percent.
The Overall Crime Rate is made up of 54 categories including offenses like animal cruelty, arson, assault, bribery, forgery, vandalism, drug crimes, extortion, sex offenses, pornography and weapon law violations.
When looking at the long-term trend, Memphis and Shelby County both saw a decrease in the number of these reported cases. Compared to 2006, Memphis saw a 22 percent decrease while Shelby County saw a decrease of 25 percent.
Compared to 2019, these offenses are also down in Memphis and Shelby County but to a far lesser degree: 1.5 percent and 2.7 percent respectively.
As expected, the data also showed that violent crime continues to be a major problem in Memphis and Shelby County. Violent crimes, as categorized by the TBI, includes murders, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults.
The graph below breaks down some of the violent crimes by year for the city of Memphis.
In 2020, Memphis recorded 332 homicides, a 24 percent increase compared to 2019. Approximately 262 of those were committed with a gun.
There were also more than 6,400 violent incidents that were reported in Memphis in 2020, another 25 percent increase from 2019. Of those, 66 percent involved gun crimes.
To see more statistics from the crime commission, click here.
