County Crime Rate Stays Low

Crime rate statistics for 2013, released today by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, show that most forms of crime have remained low compared to 2012. The Sheriff’s jurisdiction covers the county’s unincorporated areas along with the cities of Buellton, Carpinteria, Goleta, and Solvang. Part 1 Crimes, which are violent and property crimes — the most serious types of crime — decreased in total by 6 percent, though Solvang saw a 13 percent spike in burglaries. Part 1 Crimes involve criminal homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft. Part 2 Crimes, including fraud, forgery, embezzlement, drug- and alcohol-related incidents, curfew violations, and loitering, rose by 2 percent in the county. The largest increase of Part 2 Crimes was fraud, up 28 percent, from 98 reported cases in 2012 to 125 in 2013. The unincorporated town of Isla Vista saw a 9 percent decrease in Part 1 Crimes but a 14 percent increase in Part 2 Crimes. Partially responsible for the 14 percent increase was a 43 percent increase in liquor law violations as well as an 18 percent increase in public drunkenness violations. Since 1984, Part 1 Crimes have been reduced by nearly 50 percent, with 5,346 reported 30 years ago, in contrast to 2,962 in 2013.