California's Crime Numbers: A Closer Look at Newsom's Claims

California's Governor, Gavin Newsom, has been using crime statistics to defend the state's reputation. He often highlights that California's homicide rate is lower than some other states, like Missouri. However, this comparison is misleading. Missouri's high homicide rate is largely due to St. Louis, a city run by Democrats for decades. Newsom's focus on homicides ignores the bigger picture of violent crime in California. California's violent crime rate is actually one of the highest in the country. According to FBI data from 2023, California ranks sixth in violent crime rates. This is not a recent issue. Since 2010, California's violent crime rate has consistently been higher than the national average. Even as the rest of the country saw a decrease in violent crime from 2020 to 2021, California's rate continued to rise. The state has also seen increases in robbery and property crime rates. Shoplifting, for example, surged by nearly 24% from 2019 to 2023. Auto thefts and theft of car accessories also saw significant increases. These trends suggest that California's crime problem is more complex than Newsom's statistics let on. Newsom's sensitivity to criticism about California's crime policies stems from his role in shaping these policies. Initiatives like Proposition 57 and Proposition 47, which aimed to reduce penalties for certain crimes, have had unintended consequences. These policies have contributed to the rise in crime, making it difficult for Newsom to defend his record. Despite the popularity of measures like Proposition 36, which aimed to repeal parts of Proposition 47, Newsom has been reluctant to support such efforts. He has even tried to undermine Proposition 36, showing a disconnect between his policies and the wishes of many Californians.