What Kansas governor and attorney general candidates say about new violent crime numbers
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Violent crime dropped in Kansas for the first time in eight years but remains higher than the average of the past decade. It also creates a potential wrinkle in two political campaigns.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation annual crime statistics for 2021, published online Thursday, show a slight drop in crime after the highs of 2020.
Year-over-year, the number of violent crimes dropped 3.4% while the per capita rate of violent crimes dropped 2.1%. But the violent crime index remains above pre-pandemic levels and 17.9% above the 10-year average.
Kansas wasn't immune to a national trend of rising violent crime in 2020. The politically charged year was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and a mix of peaceful and violent racial justice protests following the murder of George Floyd by a police officer.
Since then, political groups have sought to turn crime trends into political points.
Ahead of the Aug. 2 primary election, a Value Them Both Coalition advertisement in favor of an anti-abortion constitutional amendment claimed "violent crime is through the roof, our police are being defunded."
Violent crime surged nationwide in 2020, highlighted by a spike in murders.
Kansas set a record high for FBI-defined murders in 2020.
"Notably, in 2020, the number of murders committed in Kansas hit a record at 193, surpassing any year since 1959, when the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) first began publishing national crime statistics," the KBI previously reported.
Law enforcement officials were unsure what could explain, casting doubt on theories attributing it to drug and gang violence.
Kansas had 173 murder reported in 2021. That's 10.4% less than 2020, but 22.7% above the 10-year average and 36.2% higher than the pre-pandemic 10-year average.
"These decreases may be a positive indicator, but they do not return us to the much lower pre‐pandemic rate," the KBI reported.
Fighting crime or fighting Biden?
Fighting crime has traditionally been a Republican talking point.
But in the race to be the top law enforcement official in Kansas, it's the Democrat who has made fighting crime the focus of his campaign while the Republican campaigns on fighting President Joe Biden.
Democrat Chris Mann has touted his experience as a police officer and prosecutor.
"I'm pleased to see some modest improvement in the violent crime rate, but it is still 17.9% above the 10 year average," Mann said in a statement from his campaign. "That is absolutely unacceptable. The last decade has seen a steady and alarming increase in violent crime across the state.
"As a police officer, prosecutor, and advocate for crime victims, I've seen firsthand the toll violent crime takes on victims and the communities around them. Kansas needs an attorney general who has experience in law enforcement and will be focused on public safety. As Attorney General, my top priority will be to crack down on violent criminals and make sure Kansas families are safe."
Republican primary voters chose immigration hardliner Kris Kobach over Kellie Warren and Tony Mattivi. While Kobach and Warren keyed their campaigns on attacking each other over who would be best at challenging Biden in court, Mattivi played on his background as a state and federal prosecutor.
Similarly, political endorsements for Kobach have prioritized fighting Biden, not crime.
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"The violent crime rate and the murder rate both are much higher higher than before COVID," Kobach said in a statement from his campaign. "In addition, fentanyl deaths are not even included in these figures.
"There have been more than 500 fentanyl deaths in Kansas from 2015 to the present, with dramatic increases in the last few years. Overdoses are now the leading cause of death among Americans under 40. The next attorney general must address these troubling trends. I have a plan to do so and make our state safer."
Kansas governor's race features finger-pointing
Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who oversees the KBI, is the Republican nominee to challenge incumbent Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.
The Republican Governors Association PAC has sought to make crime an issue in the governor's race.
In one ad targeting Kelly, the RGA cited "crime on the rise" to support the claim that Kelly and Biden are "destroying our country." Playing on screen was B-roll of what appeared to be a smash-and-grab, before later showing Schmidt talking to a uniformed sheriff or deputy.
In another ad, the RGA claims Schmidt is "protecting families from rising crime."
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"Governor Kelly knows that improving public safety starts with supporting our law enforcement, which is why she made a historic investment in law enforcement in the state budget," said Kelly campaign spokesperson Madison Andrus. "Governor Kelly provided better equipment, better training facilities, and pay raises for the state highway patrol. She also increased funding for evidence-based juvenile delinquency programs, so we can reach these kids before it's too late and keep them out of the system. Kansans are seeing results with lower rates of violent crime.
"Derek Schmidt was Attorney General for over 10 years when Kansas faced record high violent crime rates. Instead of keeping Kansas safe, he was focused on being Sam Brownback’s top defender as he underfunded schools, neglected our roads and bridges, and stagnated the Kansas economy."
The Schmidt campaign pushed back.
"AG Schmidt has fought drug abuse, prosecuted violent criminals, and supported our law enforcement officers who work hard every day to keep us safe," said Schmidt campaign spokesperson CJ Grover. "Instead of being a helpful partner in reducing crime, Governor Kelly has spent her time in office attacking Kansas police as racist and refusing to stand up to Joe Biden’s complete failure to secure our southern border.
"AG Schmidt is the only candidate in the race who puts your family’s safety over politics."
What the Kansas violent crime data show
The drop in violent crime in 2021 is noteworthy because it was the first time in eight years that the violent crime rate dropped.
"Violent crime in Kansas has been steadily rising each year since 2014," the KBI reported. "The decline of violent offenses in 2021, was the first decrease experienced since this uptick. Despite this decline, the number of violent crimes in 2021 remained 17.9% above the 10-year average."
Murders, as defined by the FBI for statistical purposes, were below 2020 figures but above the 10-year average. That was also true for rapes, as well as aggravated assault and batteries.
Arguments and domestic violence were the top circumstances associated with murders, though about a third of all cases have "unknown" circumstances.
Robberies were down from 2020 and below the 10-year average.
Aggravated assault and batteries "have risen substantially since 2015," the KBI reported, and "continue to be a concern." Despite a small drop from 2020, those crimes are 26% above the 10-year average and 37.2% above pre-pandemic levels.
Statewide, about 4.6 violent crimes were reported per 1,000 people, down from 4.7 in 2020.
In the 10 most populous counties, Sedgwick, Riley and Leavenworth counties had drops in per capita violent crime rates. But rates rose in Shawnee, Saline, Reno, Douglas, Johnson, Wyandotte and Butler counties.
Topeka police reported fewer murders, rapes and robberies, but the city's violent crime rate increased because of a substantial spike in aggravated assault and battery.
Property crime in Kansas hits the lowest level in nearly 50 years
Total crime, including property crimes, has decreased over the past decade.
Because property crimes account for the vast majority of crime in Kansas, declines in that statistical category outweigh increases in violent crime when looking at the total crime index.
The property crime rate was 23 per 1,000 people, down from 25 in 2020.
Property crime has decreased each of the past four years and 16.5% since 2017. The number of property crimes is at its lowest level since 1973, the KBI reported.
Burglary, theft and arson were all below the 10-year average and below the 2020 numbers. But motor vehicle thefts is higher than the 10-year average and pre-pandemic levels, despite a drop year-over-year.
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"This statistic is notable because motor vehicle thefts tend to have a relatively high rate of reporting compared to other property offenses, suggesting they would be a more accurate barometer of the actual number of property offenses occurring in our state," the KBI reported.
Data from the KBI's Kansas Crime Index report is derived from standard offense and arrest reports filed by law enforcement, making it dependent on victims reporting crimes. Property crime in particular is assumed to be underreported.
Jason Tidd is a statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jtidd@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jason_Tidd.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: What are Kansas politicians saying about violent crime in the state?
