By Jovi Dai
Crime in California and some of the Bay Area鈥檚 biggest cities fell in 2024 after increases during the pandemic helped drive statewide approval last fall of a ballot measure to strengthen penalties in drug and property crimes and seat new prosecutors in Oakland and Los Angeles who promised tougher law enforcement, according to an analysis of annual state crime figures released Tuesday.
In the Bay Area, overall crime rates fell significantly last year in Oakland and San Francisco from the year before. Oakland鈥檚 overall crime rate remained about twice San Francisco鈥檚 and three times San Jose鈥檚. Oakland continued to see violent crime surge even as overall crime rates and property crimes fell.
The rate rose measurably from 2023 to 2024 in San Jose, to a level similar to 2022.
In Oakland, restaurant owner Tuan Nguyen closed the Ph峄 Vy, a family-owned spot known for its warm atmosphere and loyal customer base, this year, citing concerns about safety.
鈥淭here鈥檚 more sex work in the area now,鈥 Nguyen said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e a family-oriented place, and that pushes families away. And then there are the car break-ins. Even my own car鈥檚 been hit. Customers come in and can鈥檛 enjoy their meal because they鈥檙e constantly worried about their vehicles.鈥
Statewide, the crime rate per 100,000 people dropped about 8% overall in 2024 from 2023. The violent crime rate fell 6% 鈥 to a level the Attorney General鈥檚 Office noted was less than half the state鈥檚 historic high in 1992. The property crime rate was 8.4% lower than the year before.
鈥淲hile crime rates have declined over the past year, public safety in our communities remains priorities one, two, and three,鈥 Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. 鈥淭he statistics reported today in the California Department of Justice鈥檚 annual crime reports are a critical part of understanding where we are, regulating our response, and ensuring policymakers and law enforcement have the tools they need to make informed decisions that keep millions of Californians safe.鈥
A look at 20 years worth of state justice department crime data by the Bay Area News Group shows Oakland鈥檚 rate of reported crimes per 100,000 people has consistently surpassed that of San Francisco and San Jose.
The figures also reveal that:
Oakland鈥檚 overall 2024 crime rate fell from 15% from 2023, but is still 40% higher than 2020, 6% above 2013, and 27% higher than 2003. The city鈥檚 violent crime rate climbed 48% since 2020 and 35% from 2003. Property crime, after a 2023 spike, dropped, but remains 39% above 2020, and 26% above 2003.
San Francisco鈥檚 overall 2024 crime rate plunged 17% from 2020 and 26% below 2003. The city鈥檚 violent crime rate is little changed from 2020, but is 26% below 2003. The city鈥檚 property crime rate dropped 19% from 2020 and 27% from 2003.
San Jose鈥檚 overall 2024 crime rate was 27% higher than its reported 2023 rate, but the justice department indicated data from that year was incomplete. The 2024 rate is up 8% since 2020 and up 11% from 2003. The violent crime rate was 33% higher than in 2020 and 52% higher than in 2003, but similar to San Francisco鈥檚 and far below Oakland鈥檚. The property crime rate was 4% higher than in 2020 and 5% higher than in 2003.
Last year, the Oakland Police Department said it provided incorrect 2023 crime data to the California Department of Justice, which it attributed to 鈥渉uman error.鈥
The state鈥檚 2024 report includes a notation that Oakland Police 鈥渋dentified some reporting discrepancies in their 2023 statistical data after DOJ released their annual reports.鈥 It said to 鈥渦se caution when comparing any data with 2023 data鈥 and referred to the updated figures on Oakland Police Department鈥檚 website. The Bay Area News Group analysis used Oakland Police鈥檚 2023 data.
Crime in California and many of its cities became a leading issue heading into last year鈥檚 elections. Statewide, voter frustration with video on newscasts of thieves ransacking stores across the state鈥檚 urban centers, and finding retailers locking up items to prevent thefts, helped drive approval in all 58 counties of Proposition 36, calling for tougher drug and theft penalties. The initiative, which Gov. Gavin Newsom opposed, toughened some provisions that were loosened in an earlier ballot measure, Proposition 47, approved a decade earlier.
Voters also replaced Los Angeles County鈥檚 progressive District Attorney George Gascon with Nathan Hochman, a former federal prosecutor who campaigned for tougher enforcement.
In Alameda County, voters recalled progressive District Attorney Pamela Price. Oakland voters also recalled Mayor Sheng Thao, indicted on alleged corruption charges, and have since replaced her with former U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, while in San Jose, Mayor Matt Mahan was reelected.
The San Jose and Oakland police departments did not respond to requests for information from city and police officials about the 2024 crime rates.
Robert Rueca, spokesperson of the San Francisco Police Department, said the city鈥檚 officers work closely with the community and community leaders to help address public safety concerns and collaborate with other city agencies to tackle these issues.
鈥淲e attribute these crime rates to all the work our police officers and professional staff do daily to hold those accountable for their actions by investigating every crime,鈥 Rueca said.