Where the numbers come from
The California Department of Justice compiles reported crime from local agencies and publishes it through OpenJustice. Two things to keep in mind when reading any crime story: reported crime is not the same as crime experienced, and rates per 100,000 residents are the only fair way to compare years or counties of different sizes.
The long arc
- Both violent and property crime rates in California peaked in the early 1990s and fell substantially over the following two decades.
- The post-2010 period has been comparatively flat, with movement concentrated in specific categories rather than across the board.
- Property crime volume in California is dominated by larceny-theft; motor vehicle theft moves the most sharply year to year.
- County-level patterns diverge. Los Angeles County and San Diego County do not track each other closely in any given year.
For the offense mix specifically, see what are the most common crimes in California.
Why this matters for bail
Crime data drives policy, and policy drives what happens to the person in a holding cell. The last decade brought Prop 47 reclassifying certain theft and drug offenses, Prop 64 on cannabis, Prop 57 on parole and juvenile transfers, In re Humphrey on ability to pay, and Prop 36 in 2024 rolling back parts of Prop 47. Each one changed what gets charged, what bail gets set, and who gets released.