Delaware’s violent crime rate dropped to the lowest on record in 2023 - a 40% decrease since 2008 when the state started tracking it
That’s according to Delaware’s Department of Justice - which says it’s part of a steady decline of violent crime- with gun crime as the exception.
Attorney General Kathy Jennigns says homicides and aggravated assaults sharply increased in 2020, leading to an increased focus in gun violence prevention across police departments statewide.
“As a result of those efforts, gun violence has dropped by over 20% since the height of the pandemic, with an even more pronounced effect in some of our cities," explained Jennings. "The decline in summer shootings, which in Delaware and most jurisdictions tend to be the more violent months, was even steeper at 40%.”
That’s a net decrease of 300 shootings.
Since the pandemic, Wilmington has seen a 56% decline in homicides, reaching a 5 year low. Dover has seen a 23% decrease in shootings.
Jennings attributes these numbers to multiple factors, including a 2021 law raising the presumptive bail for violent felonies.
“Its impact on gun violence was almost instantaneous. Since SB7’s effective date, we’ve seen a 44% increase in the use of cash bail against violence felons and a 20% decrease in average monthly shooting statistics,” she said.
Delaware’ recidivism rate has also fallen sharply since 2019- reaching a low-point in 2021 and rising slightly since then.
And Delaware’s inmate population has dropped by 24% since the end of 2018.
Since it took effect, the use of cash bail increased by 44%, which Jennings says reduced the number of offenders prematurely released.
