The year 2022 was notable for crime trends in Missouri, with various changes observed compared to the national averages. Here's an analysis of the current crime statistics.
Missouri had 30,149 incidents of violent crime in 2022, translating to 488.0 per 100,000 people. In comparison, the national rate stood at 380.3 per 100,000, indicating Missouri's higher than average violent crime rate.
From 2021 to 2022, violent crime in Missouri fell by 6.8%, which is higher than the national 1.2% drop.
In 2022, Missouri recorded 624 murders, equating to a rate of 10.1 per 100,000 inhabitants. The nationwide murder rate was 6.3 per 100,000, showing that Missouri has a higher murder rate compared to the country overall.
Missouri had 144,569 property crimes in 2022, which amounts to a rate of 2340.1 per 100,000 residents. The national property crime rate was 1952.8 per 100,000, indicating that Missouri has a higher property crime rate compared to the national average.
The period from 2021 to 2022 saw Missouri's property crime rate fall by 0.2%, compared to the national change of 7.1% increase.
In 2022, Missouri had 30,091 car thefts, marking a 23.5% increase from the previous year. Across the nation, car thefts rose by 10.9%, showing that Missouri's auto theft trend is higher than the national change.
The data includes a "Crime Score" for Missouri, which was 85 in 2022, down from 91 in 2021. While we don't have a national comparison for this score, the decrease suggests an overall improvement in the state's crime situation.
Missouri presents a mixed picture when compared to national crime trends. The state has higher rates of violent crime and higher rates of property crime than the national average. However, it faces challenges with a violent crime rate, property crime rate, murder rate, a more significant change in car thefts compared to national trends.
Note that various factors such as changes in reporting, law enforcement tactics, and socioeconomic shifts can impact crime statistics. Hence, these figures should be interpreted within a wider context when evaluating the crime scenario in Missouri.