Do you know your stuff? Voters from across Georgia have told us that crime and gun violence, in addition to the economy, health care, housing and immigration, are among the topics most important to them this election season.
Credit: Mike Luckovich
Credit: Mike Luckovich
I’m Caroline Silva, and I cover crime for the AJC. During the 2020 election cycle, the country saw a rise in violent crime and civil upheaval after the murder of George Floyd. Incarceration rates over the past decade were decreasing until recently, and gun-related incidents continue to rise. We’ve seen similar trends here in Georgia.
I want to help you navigate the topics of crime, incarceration and gun violence.
Ask your questions below. We will answer your top submitted questions ahead of the election. Let us help you know your stuff.
Here are some facts to give you a head start.
Fact 1: Crime rates have fluctuated since 2012. Georgia mostly follows national trends.
According to the FBI, violent crimes (homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) across the U.S. have fluctuated from 2012 to 2022. Georgia experienced a similar trend, including a jump in 2020 and increase in 2022.
Nationally, homicides have risen since 2012, with the biggest increase in the decade from 16,669 in 2019 to 21,570 in 2020. That number rose to 22,536 in 2021 and then fell to 21,156 in 2022. Georgia’s numbers were similar: 605 in 2019, 943 in 2020, 851 in 2021, and 893 in 2022.
Property crimes (arson, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft) across the U.S. steadily decreased from 2012 to 2021, and then returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2022. Georgia saw spikes in 2019 and 2022.
Fact 2: Gun-related incidents have been rising
Gun-related deaths and injuries, mass shootings, and officer-involved shootings have risen from 2014 to 2022 or 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit that collects data on fatal shootings, and the CDC.
In Georgia, firearm-related deaths rose from 1,391 in 2014 to 2,163 in 2022, the CDC reported. The total was 33,508 across the nation in 2014 and 48,204 in 2022.
Mass shootings rose from 272 in 2014 to 656 in 2023, with Georgia experiencing 17 in 2014 and 25 in 2023, the nonprofit said.
Officer-involved shootings saw an increase in officers killed or injured from 237 in 2014 to 420 in 2023, and suspects killed or injured from 1,201 in 2014 to 2,251 in 2023.
Fact 3: The U.S. has one of the highest mass incarceration rates, with Georgia among the top states.
In 2022, U.S. correctional authorities oversaw over 1.2 million individuals in state or federal prisons, a 2% increase from 2021 and the first rise since 2013, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. This followed a 21.7% decrease from 2012 to 2021.
From 2021 to 2022, Georgia’s prison population increased by 3%, the median change among states, the DOJ reported. Texas had the largest rise in prisoners, while California saw the biggest decline.
The nonprofit Prison Policy Initiative found Georgia had the highest rate of incarceration, parole, probation, and involuntary commitment per 100,000 residents in 2023.
As of June 2024, the U.S. had the highest incarceration rate among NATO countries, with 614 per 100,000 people. The U.K is the runner-up with 144 per 100,000.
