Is crime increasing or decreasing in Columbia? This 2023 data paints a picture

Did Columbia see more or less crime in 2023? Data submitted to the state helps paint a picture.

Over the two halves of the year, law enforcement reports its crime data using the National Incident-Based Reporting System. The Missouri Highway Patrol then compiles that data on its Show-Me Crime Dashboard.

The Tribune reviewed 2023 data for Columbia Police Department, Boone County Sheriff and even the University of Missouri Police Department to see what was reported.

In a majority of overarching categories offenses are down, but when drilling into more specific categories there are incident increases. Which ones? This is what departments reported.

Columbia Police Department

The first reporting overarching category is crimes against society. This breaks down to include drug, gambling, pornography or obscene materials and sex work offenses. There also is an overarching drug and alcohol category separate from the society crimes. More specific definitions and crime descriptions are available through the highway patrol Show-Me Crime dashboard.

There were 181 offenses in 2023, a roughly 49% decrease from 2022. Despite this, there were increases in animal cruelty (20%), weapons law (7%) and disorderly conduct (3.7%) violations. There were 10% fewer violations related to pornography or obscene materials and a 28% decrease in liquor law violations. Data was not available for gambling, sex work, or loitering/curfew violations.

The next reporting category is domestic violence. While incidents were down by 8%, there still were 868 reported incidents and 1,121 people impacted. Roughly Two-thirds of victims were female-identified while the remaining third were male-identified. Conversely, two-thirds of offenders were male and one-third of offenders were female. All age groups were impacted, even those under the age of 10. Simple assault was the overarching offense.

Drug and alcohol offenses overall were down by at least 54% and even drug and alcohol paraphernalia offenses were down by 53%. DUIs were up though by 13%.

Firearm offenses were down about 14% and the department cleared about 41% of cases. There was one fewer fatal gun crime in 2023, compared to 2022 and about 60 fewer non-fatal.

There was one reported intimidation hate crime against two Black women by one white man in 2023.

There was a 10% increase in officers assaulted during the course of their duties, or 77 offenses.

Property crimes of burglary, motor vehicle thefts and other thefts were down slightly, less than 10% among the offense types. Fraud offenses were down by about 17%. The only increase was in arson, up 28% with 27 offenses and police cleared about one-quarter of cases. Most happened on Mondays and generally were in the mid to late afternoon.

Violent crime encompasses murder, aggravated assault, robbery and sexual assault. Offenses were down in all categories with violent crime down about 17% overall. The greatest decrease was in robberies, down roughly 33%.

Boone County Sheriff

Crimes against society overall were down roughly 13% compared to 2022, but animal cruelty offenses were up 50%. Other increases were seen in weapon law violations (44%). All other offense categories, for which data was available, are down: sex work (100%), pornography/obscene materials (11%), disorderly conduct (68%), liquor law violations (28%).

Domestic violence offenses are down about 3.5%. Boone County recorded 270 incidents with 296 people impacted in 2023. There was a roughly 70-30 split of female to male victims, and again conversely about a 70-30 split male to female offender demographic. All age categories again were impacted include those under the age of 10, with early 20 male and female victims each recorded.

Drug and alcohol crimes were down roughly 16%, while paraphernalia crimes were down 31%. There was an increase in DUIs, by 28%.

Firearm-related crimes were down 13%. There were 78 cases in 2023, where about two-third were cleared. There was a 100% decrease in hate crimes with no reported offenses.

Assault of deputies was down 70% with only three offenses. All the cases were cleared.

All Property crime categories saw decreases except arson, which saw a 100% increase with six offenses compared to 2022. About 16% of arson cases cleared.

Violent crime overall is down about 40%, but Boone County Sheriff logged three murders, a 200% increase from 2022. Two of the three cases are considered cleared. Aggravated assault is down by 50%, robbery by 16% and sexual assault 10%.

MU Police Department

The department saw a roughly 66% decrease in crimes against society overall. The only violation that saw an increase in offenses was liquor law violations, up about 43% from 2022.

Domestic violence incidents matched the number of offenses from 2022 with nine reports and nine people impacted. Roughly three-quarter of victims were female and one-quarter male, while offenders were a 70-30 split, male to female. Simple assault or intimidation mostly was used. At least one case included a parent and child as there was one male victim below the age of 10.

Drug offenses were down 66% with paraphernalia offenses down 69%. Even DUIs were down by roughly 5%.

Firearm crimes were down 16%. None were reported as fatal. There were no reported hate crime incidents.

Department officers were assaulted more in 2023 with three offenses, a 200% increase from 2021. There was no reported officer assaults in 2022.

Property crimes of burglary and motor vehicle theft were up in 2023. There were seven burglary offenses, a 40% increase from 2022 and 12 vehicle thefts, a 9% increase. Other types of theft, fraud and arson are down, by as much as 50% in the case of arson.

Violent crimes were up for MUPD by 33% with 16 offenses. Half those cases were cleared. There were no murders, robberies and aggravated assaults remained unchanged. Contributing to the overall increase were 8 sexual assault offenses, a 100% increase from 2022. Three of the cases were cleared. Nearly 92% of cases had a female victim, and about 8% were male.

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Columbia's 2023 crime data shows what kinds are spiking and falling