SALT LAKE CITY — A new report indicates violent crimes are rising in the state of Utah. Overall, the total number rose 17-percent from 2015 to 2016 according to the Bureau of Criminal Identification.
That number includes a 43-percent jump in homicides, most of which were committed by teenagers between 15 and 19 years of age.
Incidents of rape rose more than 10-percent and aggravated assaults were up almost 20-percent. Robberies increased nearly 17-percent but the overall number of people arrested for crimes in 2016 declined by 4-percent during the same time period.
Violent crime rates between 2015-2016 (2016 Crime in Utah Report – Bureau of Criminal Identification)
The trend is a huge jump from the rise in violent crime from 2014 to 2015, which only saw crime increase by 2-percent. BCI says it recently underwent a data conversion, which now collects information from every law enforcement agency in Utah and could be why the numbers reflect the large increase.
The Bureau plans is currently 2-years behind in releasing the crime numbers, but hopes to have the data from 2017 available this fall. And they plan to start releasing crime rates on a quarterly basis to better allocate law enforcement resources.
