Crime in Birmingham

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Special issue of Black & White on Birmingham crime

Crime in Birmingham is a primary issue.

The Birmingham Police Department provides semi-annual statistics for various categories of reported crime by precinct. These statistics are forwarded, as part of the "National Incident-based Reporting System" (NIBRS) to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI uses those reports, from around 40% of law enforcement agencies across the nation, to compile an annual publication entitled Crime in the United States. That data is then misused by several private publishers to generate content, often in the form of rankings of "most dangerous cities".

The FBI, the American Society of Criminology, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors have all warned against using FBI crime reporting data to create such rankings.


2023

At the end of 2023, Birmingham Police released the following statistics (through December 29):

  • 125 reported murders in 2023, versus 135 in 2022 (down 7.4%)
  • 44 reported rapes in 2023, versus 68 in 2022 (down 35.3%)
  • 467 reported robberies in 2023, versus 480 in 2022 (down 2.7%)
  • 2,196 reported aggravated assaults in 2023, versus 2,131 in 2022 (up 3.1%)
  • 1,592 reported burglaries in 2023, versus 1,621 in 2022 (down 5.7%)
  • 1,759 reported vehicle thefts in 2023, versus 1,418 in 2022 (up 24.0%)
  • 6,282 reported thefts in 2023, versus 5,350 in 2022 (up 17.4%)

The department also reported having recovered 1,887 firearms in 2023, versus 2,029 recovered in 2022.

2020

In July 2020 the Police Department reported a 27.9% drop in overall crime for the first six months of 2020, as compared with the same period in 2019. The following individual crime statistics were reported:

  • 48 criminal homicides, down from 50 (-4%) in January-June 2019. There were 58 violent deaths reported, but 10 were ruled justifiable and therefore not crimes.
  • 38 reported rapes, down from 96 (-60.4%) in January-June 2019
  • 231 reported robberies, down from 437 (-47.1%) from 2019
  • 1,265 aggravated assaults, down from 1,568 (-19.3%) in 2019
  • 1,582 total violent crimes, down from 2,151 (-26.5%) in 2019
  • 840 burglaries, down from 1,231 (-31.8%) in 2019
  • 668 auto thefts, down from 986 (-32.3%) in 2019
  • 726 reports of vehicle break-ins, down from 1,173 (-38.1%) in 2019
  • 2,512 thefts, down from 3,235 (-22.3%) in 2019
  • 4,746 total property crimes, down from 6,625 (-28.4%) in 2019
  • 651 reports of gunshots, down from 681 (-4.4%) in 2019

2019

In November 2019 the Police Department reported an overall 10% drop in crime, with the following individual crime statistics:

  • 80 homicides, down from 90 (-11.1%) in 2018. There were 90 violent deaths reported, but 10 were considered justifiable and not criminal.
  • 144 reported rapes, down from 154 (-6.5%) in 2018
  • 683 reported robberies, down from 850 (-19.6%) in 2018
  • 2,567 aggravated assaults, down from 2,977 (-13.8%) in 2018
  • 3,474 total violent crimes, down from 4,071 (-14.7%) in 2018
  • 2,135 burglaries, down from 2,424 (-11.0%) in 2018
  • 1,770 auto thefts, down from 1,772 (-0.1%) in 2018
  • 2,111 reports of vehicle break-ins, down from 2,216 (-4.7%) in 2018
  • 5,637 thefts, down from 6,325 (-10.9%) in 2018
  • 11,653 total property crimes, down from 12,737 (-8.5%) in 2018
  • 1,051 reports of gunshots, down from 1,274 (-17.5%) in 2018

The department credited its, "community-focused, data-driven crime suppression," tactics, support from the National Public Safety Partnership, and community outreach efforts for help in achieving the reduced numbers.

2018

  • 90 homicides
  • 154 reported rapes
  • 850 reported robberies
  • 2,977 aggravated assaults
  • 4,071 total violent crimes
  • 2,424 burglaries
  • 1,772 auto thefts
  • 2,216 reports of vehicle break-ins
  • 6,325 reported thefts
  • 12,737 total property crimes
  • 1,274 reports of gunshots

2015

The FBI's annual crime report for 2015 included the following figures for Birmingham:

  • Murder and non-negligent manslaughter: 79 (37.2/100,000), up 33.9% from 59 in 2014
  • Rape (revised definition): 159 (74.9/100,000)
  • Robbery: 1,114 (524.8/100,000)
  • Aggravated assault: 2,355 (1,109/100,000)
  • Violent crimes (total): 3,707 (1,746/100,000)
  • Burglary: 3,146
  • Larceny: 8,838
  • Auto theft: 1,515
  • Property crimes (total): 13,499

Although the FBI specifically discourages using UCR data to rank cities, the website "24/7 Wall St." ranked Birmingham as the United States' 3rd most dangerous city based on the reported violent crime rate of 1,746 per 100,000 residents.

2014

The Birmingham Police Department made these projections for 2014 non-violent crime totals in September 2014:

  • Burglary: 3,800 (-6.38%)
  • Vehicle break-in: 2,001 (-16%)
  • Motor vehicle theft (not including unauthorized use of vehicle): 997 (+1.01%)

The FBI's preliminary semiannual crime report included the following figures for Birmingham for the first six months of 2014:

  • Homicides: 19 (a 50% decrease from 38 in the same period in 2013)
  • Robberies: a 5% decrease from the same period in 2013
  • Burglaries: an 11% decrease from 38 in the same period in 2013)

The FBI's annual crime report credited Birmingham with seven fewer homicides than the previous year (59 in 2014 vs 66 in 2013). The city's per capita rate of violent crimes (homicides, robberies, rapes and aggravated assaults) left the city "ranked" 5th among 289 American cities with more than 100,000 residents, after Detroit, Memphis, Oakland and St Louis. Birmingham was also ranked 5th in overall crime rate (violent crimes along with burglaries, thefts and arson cases) after Salt Lake City, Spokane, Springfield, and Little Rock.

2013

  • Homicide: 63 (-5.9% from 2012)
  • Rape: 178 (+17.11%)
  • Robbery: 969 (-1.42%)
  • Aggravated assault: 1,755 (-13.76%)
  • Burglary: 4,059 (-13.71%)
  • Larceny theft: 8,836 (-2.28%)
  • Motor vehicle theft: 1,525 (+46.35%)*
  • Vehicle break-in: 2,382 (-2.14%)
  • Total: 17,385 (-3.55%)
  • The "Motor vehicle theft" category was expanded in 2013 in include reports of "unauthorized use of a vehicle" by friends and family members, adding 538 incidents to that category, which would have been 987 otherwise.

2012

  • Homicide: 67
  • Rape: 152
  • Robbery: 983
  • Aggravated assault: 2,035
  • Burglary: 4,704
  • Larceny theft: 9,042
  • Motor vehicle theft: 1,042 (-21.4%)
  • Vehicle break-in: 2,434 (-8.8%)
  • Total: 18,025

For the first six months of 2012, Part I offenses saw an 11% drop to 10,739 from 12,111 over the same period in 2011. The number of homicides not ruled justifiable remained the same, at 31. There was a 2% increase in robberies, but all other categories of crime saw declines.

  • Murders: 31 from 31 (no change)
  • Forcible rapes: 74 from 105 (-30%)
  • Robberies: 461 from 451 (+2%)
  • Aggravated assaults: 808 from 1000 (-19%)
  • Burglaries: 2,268 from 2,668 (-15%)
  • Larcenies/thefts: 3,411 from 3,780 (-10%)
  • Auto thefts: 527 from 783 (-30%)
  • Vehicle break-ins: 1,147 from 1,282 (-11%)

2011

  • Auto thefts: 1,325
  • Vehicle break-ins: 2,670 (-12.7%)

2010

Due to the retirement of their long-time statistician, the Birmingham Police Department did not provide Uniform Crime Report information to the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center in time to be included in the FBI's preliminary report. When the final report was released in October 2012, Birmingham fell to 11th in homicides per capita for cities of more than 100,000 population. With an increase in property crimes, however, the city was ranked #2 for overall crimes per capita.

  • Murders: 54 (11th per capita)
  • Violent crimes: 1,483 (43rd per capita)
  • Property crimes: 12,841 or 90 per 1,000 resident (2nd per capita)
  • Vehicle break-ins: 3,060
  • All crimes: 98.4 per 1,000 residents (2nd per capita)

2009

Crimes reported to the FBI for 2009 included the following (with % change since 2008) [1]:

  • Murders: 65 (-20.7%)
  • Forcible rapes: 198 (-6.60%)
  • Robberies: 1,150 (-23.3%)
  • Aggravated assaults: 1,399 (+3.91%)
  • Burglaries: 5,019 (-2.60%)
  • Larcenies/thefts: 11,546 (-9.52%)
  • Auto thefts: 1,594 (-25.5%)
  • Arson: 135 (+0.07%)

Overall crime declined by 10% from 2008 to 2009. Homicide was the category with the biggest percentage drop at 20.7% (65 vs 82 chargeable homicides reported to the FBI). Violent crime (homicide, robbery, rape, and aggravated assault) dropped 13.5% while property crimes (theft, vehicle theft, burglary and arson) dropped 9.4%.

The rate of 1,237 violent crimes per 100,000 people dropped the city to 19th highest among the 272 cities of more than 100,000 population that provided uniform crime reports to the FBI. The city's murder rate of 28.6 per 100,000 dropped in the rankings, from 5th to 9th, as did the rate of property crimes, from 3rd to 5th.

2008

Crimes reported to the FBI for 2008 included the following (with % change since 2007) [2]:

  • Murders: 82 (-4.65%)
  • Forcible rapes: 212 (-7.42%)
  • Robberies: 1,499 (-6.83%)
  • Aggravated assaults: 1,456 (+4.29%)
  • Burglaries: 5,153 (+5.94%)
  • Larcenies/thefts: 12,761 (+1.86%)
  • Auto thefts: 2,140 (-4.72%)
  • Arson: 134 (-39.4%)

Birmingham reported clearing 51 of its 82 murders (62%), 76 of its 212 rapes (36%), 650 of 1,499 robberies (43%), 256 of 1,456 assaults (18%), 411 of 5,153 burglaries (8%), 1,312 of 12,761 thefts (10%) and 251 of 2,140 motor vehicle thefts (12%) for an overall clearance rate of 13%.

Birmingham's 2008 homicide rate (35.9 per 100,000) ranked fifth on the FBI's report of cities. The cities with the highest rate were New Orleans, Louisiana; St Louis, Missouri; Baltimore, Maryland and Jackson, Mississippi. The overall rate of violent crime (1,423 per 100,000) put the city at 11th while the rate of property crime (8,784 per 100,000) ranked 3rd.

For the metropolitan area as a whole, Birmingham-Hoover ranked 19th for murder rate (10.1 per 100,000), 32nd for property crime, and 69th for violent crime.

2007

Overall, occurrences of major crimes increased 3% from 2006 to 2007. Robberies increased the most, at 13% (1,609 compared to 1,429) while rape, burglary, theft and auto theft rose slightly. Homicides, in contrast, fell 15% from 2006 (93 in 2007 vs 109 in 2006) and aggravated assaults decreased slightly. When reported to the FBI, only those homicides determined by police and prosecutors to be murder or non-negligent manslaughter are counted. Using that definition, Birmingham experienced 86 murders in 2007 compared to 104 in 2006 (a 17% drop).

Birmingham's 2007 homicide rate (38 per 100,000) ranked sixth on the FBI's report of cities issued on September 15, 2008. The cities with the highest rates were New Orleans, Richmond, Detroit, Baltimore and St Louis. The overall rate of violent crime (1,458 per 100,000) put the city at 19th while the rate of property crime (8,625 per 100,000) ranked 4th behind St Louis and Springfield, Missouri and Little Rock, Arkansas.

Crimes reported to the FBI for 2007 included the following (with % change since 2006) [3]:

  • Violent crimes: 3,320 (+4.6%)
  • Murders: 86 (-17.3%)
  • Forcible rapes: 229 (+4.1%)
  • Robberies: 1,609 (+12.6%)
  • Aggravated assaults: 1,396 (-1.8%)
  • Property crimes: 19,638 (+3.3%)
  • Burglaries: 4,864 (+1.1%)
  • Larcenies/thefts: 12,528 (+3.4%)
  • Auto thefts: 2,246 (+7.9%)
  • Arsons: 221 (-3.1%)

In November 2007 the department provided some information broken down by precinct, showing that the eastern and northern sections of the city were seeing that biggest increases while the south and west saw minor decreases in reports of violent crime:

  • South Precinct
    • "major crimes" January - October (4,319)
    • Violent crimes (2,942) down 5%
      • Homicides (9)
      • Rapes (31)
      • Robberies (196)
      • Aggravated assaults (108)
      • Burglaries (476)
      • Thefts (1,812)
      • Auto thefts (310) up 10%
  • West Precinct
    • "major crimes" January - October (5,378)
    • Violent crimes, down 3%
  • East Precinct
    • "major crimes" January - October (5,424)
    • Violent crimes, up 16%
  • North Precinct
    • "major crimes" January - October (3,386)
    • Violent crimes, up 8%

During 2007 the Birmingham Police vice and narcotics unit carried out 317 warranted searches and 722 vice operations, leading to 955 felony arrests and 2,052 misdemeanor arrests.

2006

Crimes reported to the FBI for 2006 included the following [4]:

  • Violent crimes: 3,175 (-8.6%)
  • Murders: 104 (unchanged)
  • Forcible rapes: 220 (-9.5%)
  • Robberies: 1,429 (unchanged)
  • Aggravated assaults: 1,422 (-17.8%)
  • Property crimes: 19,007 (+0.4%)
  • Burglaries: 4,813 (-2.5%)
  • Larcenies/thefts: 12,113 (+1.3%)
  • Auto thefts: 2,081 (+2.5%)
  • Arsons: 228 (+40.4%)

2005

Crimes reported to the FBI for 2005 included the following [5]:

  • Violent crimes: 3,449 (+5.5%)
  • Murders: 104 (+43.3%)
  • Forcible rapes: 241 (+0.4%)
  • Robberies: 1,429 (+4.2%)
  • Aggravated assaults: 1,675 (+4.9%)
  • Property crimes: 18,923 (-2.8%)
  • Burglaries: 4,933 (-4.5%)
  • Larcenies/thefts: 11,962 (-0.1%)
  • Auto thefts: 2,028 (-15.9%)
  • Arsons: 136 (-4.4%)

Homicides increased dramatically, accompanied by more modest upswings in robberies and assaults while most other crime categories saw significant declines.

2004

Crimes reported to the FBI for 2004 included the following [6]:

  • Violent crimes: 3,261 (-2.6%)
  • Murders: 59 (-44.1%)
  • Forcible rapes: 240 (+15.0%)
  • Robberies: 1,369 (+1.2%)
  • Aggravated assaults: 1,593 (-7.1%)
  • Property crimes: 19,447 (-0.7%)
  • Burglaries: 5,156 (+15.0%)
  • Larcenies/thefts: 11,970 (+0.3%)
  • Auto thefts: 2,351 (-19.5%)
  • Arsons: 142 (-23.2%)

2003

Crimes reported to the FBI for 2003 included the following [7]:

  • Violent crimes: 3,347 (-4.8%)
  • Murders: 85 (+23.5%)
  • Forcible rapes: 204 (-17.2%)
  • Robberies: 1,352 (+12.3%)
  • Aggravated assaults: 1,706 (+0.5%)
  • Property crimes: 19,574 (-6.6%)
  • Burglaries: 4,381 (-0.2%)
  • Larcenies/thefts: 11,934 (+2.5%)
  • Auto thefts: 2,809 (+27.1%)
  • Arsons: 175 (-20.6%)

2002

Crimes reported to the FBI for 2002 included the following [8]:

  • Violent crimes: 3,187
  • Murders: 65
  • Forcible rapes: 239
  • Robberies: 1,186
  • Aggravated assaults: 1,697
  • Property crimes: 18,289
  • Burglaries: 4,389
  • Larcenies/thefts: 11,640
  • Auto thefts: 2,049
  • Arsons: 211

1994

    • Homicides (135)
    • Rapes
    • Robberies (nearly 2,000)
    • Aggravated assaults (4,237)
    • Burglaries
    • Thefts (over 16,000)
    • Auto thefts (nearly 4,000)

1931

One police official, asked "What are your suggestions for improvement of crime conditions here?" replied, "More officers, more modern equipment such as radio-equipped cars, and, above all, the cooperation of the public. The public can get exactly the kind of law enforcement it wants, its cooperation being the determining factor."

See also

References

  • "24 Slayings Here Unsolved As Year is Brought to End." (December 30, 1931) The Birmingham News, pp. 1-2
  • Pelfrey, David (October 4, 2007) "Crime by the numbers." Black & White
  • Robinson, Carol (October 10, 2007) "Crime down 5% in South Precinct." The Birmingham News
  • Norris, Toraine and Jeremy Gray (January 13, 2007) "Crime fight grows in Southside hot spots." The Birmingham News
  • Robinson, Carol (February 20, 2008) "Crime in Birmingham up in 2007." The Birmingham News
  • Gray, Jeremy (June 10, 2008) "Birmingham had slight increase in violent crimes in 2007, according to FBI report." The Birmingham News
  • Robinson, Carol (September 16, 2008) "Birmingham makes FBI Top 10 lists in violent crime, property crime and homicides." The Birmingham News
  • Robinson, Carol (September 15, 2009) "Mobile 7th, Birmingham 19th in nation in 2008 murder rate." The Birmingham News
  • Robinson, Carol (November 18, 2009) "Crime in Birmingham down 12% in 2009." The Birmingham News
  • Robinson, Carol (February 17, 2010) "Crime drops in Birmingham 10 percent." The Birmingham News
  • Faulk, Kent (May 25, 2010) "Birmingham murder rate falls, but still in top 10." The Birmingham News
  • Faulk, Kent (May 23, 2011) "Birmingham not included in FBI's national report on crime statistics." The Birmingham News
  • Robinson, Carol (September 25, 2012) "Violent crime drops double-digits in Birmingham for first half of 2012." The Birmingham News
  • Robinson, Carol (March 14, 2014) "Birmingham's 2013 crime numbers lowest in 30 years, mayor and chief say." The Birmingham News
  • Robinson, Carol (September 19, 2014) "Burglaries in Birmingham drop 30 percent, on pace to dip lowest in decade, police say." The Birmingham News
  • Robinson, Carol (September 29, 2015) "4 Alabama cities in FBI's Top 100 crime list; Birmingham No. 5." The Birmingham News
  • Webb-Hehn, Katherine (May 9, 2019) "Mayor Randall Woodfin talks about the homicide rate in Birmingham." The Birmingham News
  • Robinson, Carol (November 15, 2019) "‘It will get safer everyday’: Birmingham sees double-digit drop in crime." The Birmingham News
  • Robinson, Carol (July 5, 2020) "Birmingham crime down double digits in 1st half of 2020, police report." The Birmingham News
  • Jett, Brandon T. (2021) Race, Crime and Policing in the Jim Crow South: African Americans and Law Enforcement in Birmingham, Memphis, and New Orleans 1920–1945. Louisiana State University Press ISBN 9780807175071
  • Sharp, John (February 14, 2023) "Are Alabama cities the “most dangerous”? Critics pounce on rankings long denounced by the FBI." AL.com
  • "Birmingham Nears Year’s End With Mixed Crime Numbers." (December 29, 2023) BirminghamWatch

External links