SPOKANE, Wash. — New data from the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs shows there have been changes in a variety of crime percentages since the 2021 report, including several notable increases.
Violent crime is one area that has seen some dramatic increases from reported rape to homicides.
In Spokane County as a whole, aggravated assault has increased 21% from last year. So far in 2022, there have been 91 reported assaults. This is 16 more than the previous year around the same time.
Reported rapes in the county have increased 63%, with 26 rapes being reported so far in 2022. This is 10 more than this same time last year.
Criminal homicide has increased from two murders in 2021 to four murders in 2022, for a 100% increase.
Property crime, on the other hand, has actually seen a decrease in percentages.
Robbery is down 34% from 29 to 19, and more specifically, garage theft is down 35% from 122 to 79 since this time last year.
The only area of property crime that has increased is in car theft, which is up 55% compared to last year. Looking inward, the city of Spokane reported an 83% increase in car theft.
The city of Spokane, Spokane County and the state of Washington say they believe changes in the law this year – especially in the case of car theft – emboldened criminals and played a role in the crime increase.
"The criminal knows that we can't pursue them and even if we could pursue them, it's not a crime that we're allowed to pursue anymore," Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said.
These statistics are from crimes that took place between April 16, 2021 and the same date of this year.