BCA releases 2018 Uniform Crime Report
Published 8:40 am Wednesday, July 10, 2019
- Austin Police investigate a garage at the scene of a shooting in southwest Austin earlier this year that left two people injured. Herald file photo
ST. PAUL —The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) released the 2018 Uniform Crime Report on Monday.
Local law enforcement agencies must report their crime data each year to the BCA to meet state and federal reporting requirements. The BCA compiles the data into an annual report and provides required data to the FBI for its reporting purposes.
Violent Crimes
Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, human trafficking and aggravated assault) decreased 6.7 percent in 2018. Murders decreased from 114 in 2017 to 104 in 2018; however, rapes were up 9.3 percent in 2018. Robberies and aggravated assault both saw declines in 2018.
Property Crimes
Property crimes decreased in 2018, down 8.9 percent compared to 2017. Motor vehicle theft was up for the third straight year, but burglary, larceny and arson all saw sizeable decreases. Arson numbers dropped to their lowest number since the state began tracking arson crimes.
There were no law enforcement fatalities in 2018.
The complete 2018 report, as well as reports from past years, can be viewed on the BCA Website at https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca/bca-divisions/mnjis/Pages/uniform-crime-reports.aspx.