PROPERTY CRIMES ARE ON THE DECLINE WHILE VIOLENT CRIMES ARE ON THE RISE
Crime impacts both real and perceived safety. It can also negatively affect investment in a community if a neighborhood is considered unsafe. This indicator tracks crime rate trends. The crime rate includes reported violent felonies (homicide, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) and property felonies (burglary, motor vehicle theft, and larceny-theft).[1] This indicator also tracks the adult arrest rate by race and ethnicity.
TREND
The property crime rate decreased by 2% between 2020 and 2021 and by 26% since 2017.
While the violent crime rate decreased slightly during the one-year period of 2020 and 2021 (1% lower), in the five-year period between 2017 and 2021 the violent crime rate increased 24%. Since 2017, robbery rates have declined 28%, while the rate of rape stayed the same, and aggravated assault and homicide rates increased 37% and 51%, respectively.
Because property crimes account for most crime, the overall crime rate declined 2% between 2020 and 2021, and declined 18% overall between 2017 and 2021.
OVERALL CRIME RATE IS ON THE DECLINE
Crime Rate in San Bernardino County, 2017-2021
AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS AND HOMICIDES ARE ON THE RISE
Violent Crime Rate per 100,000, by Type in San Bernardino County, 2017-2021
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Change from 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robbery | 39.1 | 43.1 | 40.5 | 37.1 | 39.2 | 0% |
| Aggravated Assault | 5.9 | 5.8 | 6.7 | 8.3 | 8.1 | 37% |
| Homicide | 289.4 | 294.8 | 367.6 | 428.3 | 437.0 | 51% |
| Rape | 1373.8 | 141.8 | 141.2 | 113.5 | 99.6 | -28% |
While there were slightly fewer homicide victims in 2021 compared to 2020, the number of homicide victims is significantly higher in 2021 (177) than five years ago in 2017 (128).
NUMBER OF HOMICIDES INCREASING
Victims of Homicide in San Bernardino County, 2017-2021
RACE/ETHNICITY DETAIL
Black adults are arrested at a rate of 32.7 per 1,000 Black adults ages 18 years and older. This rate is significantly higher than the countywide average of 13.3 per 1,000 adults and any other race/ethnic group. The Equity Gap Score for adult arrests is 5.6. This score means that the arrest rate for group of adults with the highest arrest rate (Black residents) is more than 5 times higher than the arrest rate for the group of adults with the lowest arrest rate (Other, which includes Asian, Pacific Islander, and Multiracial).
BLACK ADULTS ARRESTED AT RATES MUCH HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER GROUP
Arrests Per 1,000 by Race/Ethnicity in San Bernardino County, 2021
| Race/Ethnicity | All Arrests |
|---|---|
| Other | 5.8 |
| White | 10.1 |
| Average | 13.3 |
| Latino | 13.5 |
| White | 32.7 |
Note: included in analysis are all arrests, including violent, property, drug offence, sex offence, and all other arrests.
Sources: California Department of Justice, Open Justice Dataset, Crimes & Clearances (https://openjustice.doj.ca.gov/); California Department of Finance, Table P-3
GEOGRAPHIC DETAIL
The crime rate in San Bernardino County is one of the highest among neighboring counties compared, except for Los Angeles County.
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY CRIME RATE LOWER THAN L.A. COUNTY AND THE CALIFORNIA AVERAGE
Crime Rate, County Comparison, 2021
San Bernardino County Probation Department Day Reporting and Reentry Services Centers
The San Bernardino County Probation Department operates three Day Reporting and Reentry Services Centers (DRRSC) that are regionally-based adult facilities. The centers are funded with a portion of the monies received from AB 109. DRRSCs provide access to co-located multi-agency County partners including Department of Behavioral Health (DBH), Transitional Assistance Department (TAD), Public Health, and Workforce Development Department. Each center has a dedicated Probation Homeless Services Coordinator, Probation Housing Coordinator, and a clothing closet. Each center’s various re-entry support classes include life skills, anger management, employment, healthy life choices, parenting, cognitive journaling, food handler’s training, and computer skills training.
During fiscal years 2020/21 and 2021/22, more than 32,935 clients were seen at the Probation Department’s three DRRSCs. Of these clients:
- 1,753 were referred to Workforce Development for employment readiness training or job placement assistance;
- 2,375 were referred to TAD for assistance with accessing Cal-Fresh or health care enrollment;
- 2,583 were referred to DBH for assistance with behavioral health issues, dual diagnosis issues and/or coordination of outpatient treatment services;
- 1,201 unique clients were placed in housing by Probation Housing Coordinators; and
- 211 were referred to Public Health for care coordination support, such as assistance with accessing prescriptions or a health care provider, and receiving health education services.
[1] Only violent and property crimes (considered Part I crimes) are included in the crime rate for this indicator. Part II crimes (which include such crimes as embezzlement, forgery, disorderly conduct, driving and under the influence) are not included. By some estimates, Part II crimes account for about 60% of total crimes reported in San Bernardino County.