Crime reaches historic lows, California’s public safety investments deliver results

New California Department of Justice data shows every major statewide crime rate declined in 2025

What you need to know: New 2025 data shows continued progress in improving public safety, with annual declines across every major statewide crime category, including homicide, robbery, property crime, motor vehicle theft, and violent crime.

SACRAMENTO - New data released today by the California Department of Justice shows since Governor Gavin Newsom took office, crime rates have declined across every major category: the homicide rate is down 20%, robbery rate is down 31%, property crime rate is down 24%, motor vehicle theft rate is down 19%, and violent crime rate is down 3%.

California continues to make meaningful progress in improving public safety, with every major statewide crime rate declining in 2025. The report also finds California recorded its lowest homicide rate since statewide data collection began in 1966, reflecting years of coordinated investments to make communities safer.

Every Californian deserves to feel safe in their community. These results show that when we invest in our communities, support law enforcement, crack down on organized crime, and expand prevention and intervention efforts, we can save lives and improve public safety. California is proving that smart, sustained investments are making a real difference for families across our state.

Governor Gavin Newsom

"Transparent, accurate data helps us understand what is happening in our communities and where more work is needed," said Attorney General Bonta. "These numbers prove that the investments in community violence intervention over recent years and the commitment to effective partnerships and collaboration between federal, state, and local governments, law enforcement agencies, and community partners are working. Our policing has gotten smarter, more organized, and more coordinated. We've created successful organized retail theft programs, human trafficking and fentanyl task forces, and programs targeting violent criminals. These partnerships have led to more success, more accountability and more arrests, which we know is a much better deterrent than disproportionately lengthy and expensive sentences. I want to thank the state and local law enforcement agencies, community-based organizations, gun safety advocacy groups, and state and local leaders who work day in and day out to keep our communities safe. At DOJ, public safety is priority number one and always will be."

Crime continues to decline statewide

According to the Department of Justice's data between 2024 and 2025:

• Homicide rate decreased 18.6%, with reported homicides falling from 1,666 to 1,374.
• Robbery rate decreased 19.9%.
• Property crime rate decreased 14.3%.
• Motor vehicle theft rate decreased 25.8%, the largest percentage decline among major crime categories.
• Violent crime rate decreased 10.2%.

California's homicide rate now stands at 3.5 per 100,000 residents, the lowest rate recorded since statewide reporting began nearly six decades ago.

Investments that are delivering results

California has made historic investments to improve public safety by supporting local law enforcement, combating organized retail crime and auto theft, strengthening gun safety laws, expanding crime prevention programs, improving technology and investigative capacity, and investing in community-based violence intervention efforts.

These investments have helped deliver measurable progress across the state while supporting local partners working every day to keep Californians safe.

All of the reports are available here. The underlying data associated with the annual reports is available on OpenJustice here.