Murders in Washington jump over 80%
SPOKANE – Washington state has seen a significant rise in crime rates over the past five years, with increases in violent crimes, vehicle thefts, and aggravated assaults far outpacing national trends, according to a recent report by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC).
Between 2019 and 2023, murders in Washington increased by 87.4%, more than five times higher than the national rate of 17.2%. The murder rate in the state has risen more than 80% since 2019.
Violent crime in Washington has gone up by 19.6% over the past five years, while nationally, violent crime decreased by 4.1% in the same period.
Aggravated assault rates in Washington also climbed by 27.3%, compared to a national increase of just 5.6%.
Vehicle thefts saw a massive jump of 110.2% in Washington since 2019, much higher than the 44.9% increase seen nationwide. The vehicle theft rate in the state is more than twice the national rate, with 673.7 thefts per 100,000 people in Washington, compared to 318.7 per 100,000 nationally.
While robberies have decreased by 18.5% nationally, they have gone up by 19.8% in Washington during the same five-year period.
The WASPC urges Washington residents to be aware of these trends and encourages voters to share their concerns with state representatives.
Clare is an Eastern Washington University graduate and a reporter at Free Press Publishing.
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