The incidence of crime dropped 18 percent in Connecticut over the past six years, including a 20 percent decline in violent crime, according to state and federal authorities.
The FBI is reporting that overall crime in the state in 2016 was at its lowest point since 1967, according to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who took office in 2011.
The mid-year 2017 report, which contains FBI data provided by Mike Lawlor, under secretary for criminal justice policy and planning, covers the period between 2011 and 2016.
In 2016, crimes in Connecticut totaled 72,787, an 18 percent decline from the 88,341 crimes reported in 2010, Lawlor wrote.
Reported violent crime dropped by 20 percent over that same period, although the violent crime rate in 2016 actually increased by 2.6 percent, following three years of “sizeable” drops, he said. Nonetheless, the year 2016 constituted the second lowest violent crime rate since 1974.
“Because of smart, data driven policies and reforms to our criminal justice system, we have made Connecticut neighborhoods safer than they have been in nearly two generations,” Malloy said in a statement.
Reduced incarceration saves taxpayers money and allows the state to “better focus” resources on education and social services, he said.
