FBI Crime Report 2020: See Trends In Benicia

BENICIA, CA — Violent crime increased last year in Benicia, according to data released by the FBI in its 2020 uniform crime report.

In California, the FBI estimated crime statistics based on reports from 732 of the state’s 740 law enforcement agencies, including the Benicia Police Department.

The FBI has issued a caution about the crime data coming in at the local levels, however.

Lists comparing cities and counties "provide no insight into the numerous variables that shape crime in a given state, county, city, town, tribal area or region," the FBI said in a statement.

“Consequently, they lead to simplistic and/or incomplete analyses that often create misleading perceptions adversely affecting communities and their residents,” the statement continued. “Valid assessments are possible only with careful study and analysis of the range of unique conditions affecting each local law enforcement jurisdiction.”

The data shows violent crime was slightly down in California from 442.1 crimes per 100,000 people in 2019 to 442 crimes per 100,000 people in 2020. Property crime went down during the same period, from 2,335.8 crimes per 100,000 people in 2019 to 2,138.9 crimes per 100,000 in 2020.

In Benicia, the number of violent crimes reported in the city increased by 56.25 percent, from 16 in 2019 to 25 in 2020. The number of property crimes reported was up 6.10 percent, from 377 in 2019 to 400 in 2020, the data show.

Nationwide, the FBI reported an increase in violent crime for the first time in four years. The number of property crimes reported nationally dropped for the 18th year in a row.

Violent crime was up 5.2 percent in 2020 from the 2019 number, the FBI said in a news release. Violent crimes are labeled as homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property crimes are listed as arson, burglary, larceny-theft and motor-vehicle theft.

Among violent crimes, murder and non-negligent manslaughter reports saw the sharpest one-year uptick from 2019 to 2020, at 29.4 percent, the FBI said.

Property crimes — including burglaries, vehicle thefts and arson — dropped 8.1 percent from 2019 to 2020, the FBI data shows.