Crime Drops Across California, Tallahassee, Wichita in 2024-25

Crime rates have declined significantly in multiple U.S. regions during 2024 and the first half of 2025, countering narratives of rising violence. California reported drops in violent crime, property crime, homicides, aggravated assaults, motor vehicle theft, burglary, and robbery in 2024, with the homicide rate reaching its second-lowest level since 1966. Despite a statewide 14% increase in shoplifting, officials attribute the overall crime decrease to substantial investments, including $1.6 billion since 2019, aimed at public safety and crime fighting. Similarly, Tallahassee experienced a 36.8% overall crime reduction in early 2025, driven largely by a 40.1% decline in property crimes, although residential burglaries increased in specific areas. Wichita's mid-2025 data also show drops in violent crimes like murder and robbery, alongside decreases in burglaries and auto thefts. These trends challenge claims used to justify tougher criminal penalties, as seen in California where property crime had already fallen before Proposition 36's implementation, prompting some criminal justice advocates to question the narrative that harsher laws were needed.