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FDLE: Crime decreases in Lee, statewide in 2021

By TIFFANY REPECKI / trepecki@breezenewspapers.com - | Jan 11, 2023

Both unincorporated Lee County and the state of Florida experienced a drop in crime in 2021.

Recently, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced the release of its annual Uniform Crime Report, which includes statistics based on data from law enforcement agencies statewide.

According to the UCR, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office — which covers unincorporated Lee, including Matlacha and Pine Island — recorded 5,440 total crimes in 2021 compared to 5,562 in 2020, a 2.2 percent decrease year-over-year. The 2021 crime rate was 1,126.2 — a 6.1 percent decline from the 1,199.4 rate in 2020.

The FDLE reported that the total crimes recorded in Florida in 2021 hit a record 50-year low.

Statewide, the UCR shows that 427,524 crimes were reported compared to 466,048 in 2020 — an 8.3 percent drop. The 2021 crime rate was 1,952.3 — a 9.5 percent decline from the 2,158 rate in 2020.

The FDLE noted that violent and property crimes dipped in 2021, as well as domestic violence.

“Two-hundred thirty-nine Florida law enforcement agencies submitted summary-based crime stats covering 57.5 percent of the population,” agency officials reported in a prepared statement.

“Not all agencies submitted summary-based crime statistics because they are transitioning to Florida Incident-Based Reporting System (FIBRS),” the FDLE stated. “Twenty-nine agencies have transitioned to incident-based uniform crime reporting, while at least 140 are in the process of transitioning.”

Officials reported that agencies can backfill previous data as they fully transition.

“Incident-based crime statistics provide more robust and dynamic crime reporting,” the FDLE explained. “FIBRS collects 56 more offense categories than summary-based reporting, including more detailed victim, offender, arrestee and property data on each crime occurrence.”

The incident-based crime statistics will be published quarterly, with the next report in February.

As for unincorporated Lee, the UCR indicates that the LCSO recorded 17 murders and 223 rapes in 2021, compared to 22 and 179 — respectively — for the prior year. In 2021, there were 206 robberies and 935 aggravated assaults reported versus 217 robberies and 949 aggravated assaults during 2020.

For the LCSO, the number of burglaries dropped from 677 to 567 in 2021, while motor vehicle thefts decreased from 489 to 456 in 2021. However, larcenies rose slightly from 3,029 to 3,036 in 2021.

To view the UCR, visit www.fdle.state.fl.us/CJAB/UCR/Annual-Reports.