Hennepin County Sheriff: Decrease In Violent Crime

In a recent press release, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office revealed new statistics that provide a preliminary estimate of violent crime for 2011 in the county.

The statistics show a decrease in violent crime countywide by 38 percent from 2006 to 2011.

“This is a remarkable achievement for the residents of Hennepin County and I believe the hard work and innovation of the Sheriff’s Office in partnership with all local law enforcement agencies contributed significantly to making communities safer,” said Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek.

Last year was the fifth consecutive year that violent crime was reduced countywide. From 2010-2011, there was a 6 percent reduction in violent crime. 

Since 2006, violent crime in Hennepin County has decreased by 38 percent. 

Violent crime is defined as: murder and manslaughter (non negligent), forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. (Definition from FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program.)

Sheriff Stanek cites three leading factors in the reduction of violent crime in the county: improved use of technology by law enforcement, enhanced criminal information sharing and analysis, and expansion of partnerships among law enforcement agencies.

An example from each category includes:

Improved use of technology by law enforcement

In 2011, at the Sheriff’s Office Crime Lab, there were approximately 7,200 requests for lab services from law enforcement agencies across the county. The  Lab is unique compared to most other labs, because places an emphasis on processing DNA in property crime cases. Studies have shown that in communities where DNA analysis is used to investigate property crimes, there’s been a reduction in violent crime as well.

Enhanced criminal information sharing and analysis

The Sheriff’s Criminal Information Sharing and Analysis (CISA) Unit works collaboratively with local law enforcement agencies to identify suspects in violent crimes and crime sprees. The CISA unit uses predictive policing technology and provides many valuable and time-sensitive analysis services to law enforcement partners. CISA has been recognized as a model unit for providing effective criminal information sharing that leads to arrests and the reduction of crime.

Expansion of partnerships among law enforcement agencies

The Sheriff’s Office and local law enforcement agencies meet with representatives from the criminal justice system to identify crime trends - and to identify effective prevention and enforcement plans. The Sheriff’s Office provides additional personnel to locations that have been identified as a “hot spot” for crime. Local police and the Sheriff’s Office work cooperatively and assign directed patrols to crime hot spots which has resulted in arrests, improved response times, and the deterrence of criminal activity in affected areas. 

(Information provided by a press release from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.)