In this segment of the California Politics Now: (Part 5) A review of "The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate," news producer, Julia Dudley Najieb reviews California's crime states from 2021 through 2023.


According to nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), California's crime is increasing.


California’s violent crime rate increased by 5.7%, from 468 crimes per 100,000 residents in 2021 to 495 in 2022. While the rates for robbery (theft with force) and aggravated assault increased by 9.9% and 5.2%, respectively, homicides reversed a two-year upward trend, dropping by 6.1%, and rapes remained essentially the same (0.1% decrease).


In 2022, aggravated assaults were 67% of reported violent crimes; 25% of violent crimes were robberies, 7% were rapes, and 1% were homicides. Violent crime rose in 10 of the state’s 15 largest counties, and 7 saw increases of at least 10%. San Mateo faced the biggest jump, by 37.5%, but remains one of the 15 largest counties with the lowest violent crime rate (only Orange and Ventura Counties had lower rates in 2022).



Dudley Najieb also explains the misunderstanding of Proposition 47 which became effective on November 5, 2014 when California voters voted for it to be a new law. This law seems to get the blame for "crime leniency" in the state, but is often misquoted in regard to its level of power and influence.