Local news- Press Release
Wilmington Delaware - Attorney General Jennings Law Enforcement Leaders Announce Record Low Violent Crime Rates 30 January 2024 ( news )
Wilmington , state Delaware ( By Press Release office)
Jan 30,2024
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Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki today thanked Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings for sharing the positive news about record low crime rates throughout the State of Delaware , which are down 40% since 2008 . The Mayor expressed special gratitude to Police Chief Wilfredo Campos and the dedicated men and women of the Wilmington Police Department for their outstanding work in helping to make our City safer than it has been in many years , including reducing murders by more than 50% since the COVID - 19 pandemic . In 2023 , Wilmington saw reductions in several major crime categories , including a 22% decrease in burglaries and a smaller decrease in felony theft incidents . The WPD also solidified its community engagement efforts by conducting foot patrols and attending community meetings that totaled more than 31 , 000 last year . Mayor Purzycki is pleased to share the AG’s announcement below .
Attorney General Jennings , Law Enforcement
Leaders Announce Record Low Violent Crime Rates
Double - digit plummets in gun violence , prison population , and recidivism
Flanked by law enforcement leaders , Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Monday that law enforcement’s focus on violent criminals and gun offenders has driven Delaware’s violent crime rates to their lowest point since the State began tracking the statistic — a 40% decline since 2008 .
“I’ve never seen another jurisdiction accomplish the things that Delaware is doing simultaneously , ” said Attorney General Jennings . “Violent crime , shootings , prison populations , and recidivism have all plummeted in our state , and the latest data tells us that the decline is not a fluke . None of us is declaring mission accomplished — but Delaware is setting itself apart as a national leader in violence reduction . We should all be proud of that progress .
“I am grateful to our prosecutors , our support staff , and all of our partners — Wilmington PD , Dover PD , New Castle County PD , the Delaware State Police , the Department of Safety and Homeland Security , the Office of the Governor , the Department of Correction , the Delaware Association of Police , Probation & Parole , the Criminal Justice Council , legislators , nonprofits , community leaders , and so many others — who have made this work possible . Success has many parents , and it has been a group effort to keep our neighborhoods safe and to make real , lasting reform . ”
In a public safety briefing delivered Monday , AG Jennings laid out a confluence of positive trends that show Delaware’s communities are becoming safer and that its criminal justice system is working more effectively:
Delaware’s violent crime rates have reached their lowest recorded level
, according to the most recently available statistics from Delaware’s Criminal Justice Council . Even as gun violence spiked during the COVID pandemic in 2020 , violent crime as a whole continued to decline .
Gun violence rates have declined by 20% since spiking during the pandemic ,
including a 40% decline in shootings during the summer months , according to law enforcement data running through 2023 . As a result , there has been a net decrease of roughly 300 shootings since 2020 . AG Jennings credited Senate Bill 7 , a bail law passed in 2021 , with a decisive role in the decline .
Violence reductions have been especially pronounced in Delaware’s urban centers:
homicides in Wilmington have declined by more than 50%
since the pandemic , and finished 2023 at a five - year low .
Shootings in Dover have declined by 23%
in the same period . AG Jennings credited those declines to law enforcement initiatives including the intelligence - sharing program GunStat , gang prosecutions , and community policing efforts .
Delaware’s prison population has fallen by roughly 25%
since 2019 , while
our recidivism rate has declined by 60% ,
according to data gathered from the Delaware Department of Correction and the Criminal Justice Council .
The DOJ continues to maintain a conviction rate of 80% or more against gun offenders
. As a result , violent offenders comprise 57% of Delaware’s sentenced inmate population , with a plurality ( 18% ) serving time for a gun offense specifically . The least common lead charge for a sentenced inmate is simple drug possession .
A copy of the data shared in this morning’s briefing is available
here
.
Paul Ford Jr .
Director of Communications
City of Wilmington , Office of the Mayor
Mobile: ( 302 ) 530 - 2171
Email:
plford@WilmingtonDE . gov
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