Texas DPS Releases Annual Crime Report, Overall Crime Down

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The Texas Department of Public Safety released their annual crime statistics report on Wednesday, September 29th, 2021.

The information collected, named index crimes, are divided into two categories: violent crime, which consists of murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, and property crime, consisting of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

According to the report, total crime in the city of Lubbock was down by 6 percent in 2020. Even with overall crime on a slight decline, the murder rate nearly tripled, increasing by 180 percent. Violent crime also increased by 9 percent. More specifically, rapes decreased by 16 percent, robberies went down 8 percent, while aggravated assaults were up 16 percent.

Across the state, overall crime was down nearly 3 percent. Increases in murder, aggravated assault, and motor vehicle theft were seen -- 35 percent, 15 percent, and 7 percent, respectively.

To view the Texas DPS Crime in Texas 2020 report, click here.

EverythingLubbock reports nationwide murder increased by 30 percent, which is the largest single-year increase ever recorded:

"It’s a strange time to be in law enforcement... the homicide rate is rising and it truly has but what’s important is that we continue to adapt to this trend... It’s going to be a very rare thing for you to find yourself, you or a family member, to be the victim of a random act of violence and victim of homicide in this community,"

Lubbock County Criminal District Attorney Sunshine Stanek