Hawai‘i Crime Rate Lowest on Record in 2016

Attorney General Douglas S. Chin announced today the release of the State of Hawai‘i’s annual “Uniform Crime Report, Crime in Hawaii, 2016.”

The report shows that in 2016, a total of 45,805 Index Crimes were reported in the State of Hawai‘i, yielding a rate of 3,206 offenses per 100,000 resident population, the lowest on record since statewide data collection began in 1975. Hawai‘i’s Index Crime rate (within jurisdiction since the start of statewide data collection in 1975) in 2016 was 6.2% below the rate reported in 2015 and 27.1% below the rate reported a decade earlier (2007).

Hawai‘i County’s burglary rate in 2016 was at its record low level. The total Index Crime rate and property crime rate decreased 24.1% and 26.5%, respectively, to reach record low levels. However, the violent crime rate rose 16.3%.

“The record low crime statistics in 2016 highlight the outstanding work of law enforcement throughout the state and in all four counties,” Attorney General Chin said. “These numbers also help refute the false narrative from President Trump’s administration that crime in our country is at an all-time high.”

A total of 3,452 violent Index Crimes were reported statewide in 2016, yielding a rate of 241.6 offenses per 100,000 residents. Hawai‘i’s violent Index Crime rate in 2016 was 2.0% below the rate reported in 2015, and 12.5% below the rate reported in 2007.

There were 42,353 property Index Crimes reported statewide in 2016, yielding a record low rate of 2,965 offenses per 100,000 residents. Hawaii’s property Index Crime rate in 2016 was 6.5% below the rate reported in 2015, and 28.0% below the rate reported in 2007.

Highlights of “Crime in Hawaii, 2016”

● The rate of reported offenses for two violent Index Crimes decreased in the State of Hawai‘i in 2016: robbery, by 9.0%; and aggravated assault, by 2.3%. The rate of reported offenses for the other two violent Index Crimes increased: murder, by 20.9%; and rape, by 11.9%.
● Rates of reported offenses decreased for two property Index Crime categories: burglary, by 12.0%; and larceny-theft, by 6.6%. The motor vehicle theft rate increased by 1.3%.

* Including the violent Index Crimes of murder, rape, aggravated assault, robbery, and tracked separately, human trafficking, commercial sex acts and human trafficking, involuntary servitude; the property Index Crimes of burglary, motor vehicle theft, and larceny-theft; and, tracked separately, arson.

● The number of Index Crime arrests fell by 20.1% statewide in 2016. Arrests for violent Index Crimes decreased 13.9%, and arrests for property Index Crimes decreased 21.7%. Crime in Hawaii, 2016 also provides state and county data on the age, gender, and race/ethnicity of arrestees.
● The City & County of Honolulu’s total Index Crime rate, violent crime rate, and property crime rate all decreased by approximately 2.5% in 2016, and its burglary rate fell to a record low level.
● Maui County reported record low rates for total Index Crimes and property crime in 2016, with decreases of 5.6% and 4.3%, respectively, as compared to 2015. Maui County’s violent crime rate fell by 19.1% in 2016, and its burglary and larceny-theft rates decreased to record low levels.
● Kaua‘i County’s total Index Crime rate decreased 5.3% in 2016, reaching its lowest level on record. The violent crime rate decreased 24.1% and the property crime rate dropped 7.8%, also reaching a record low level. In 2016, Kauai County also reported its record low burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft rates.
● Thirty-five murders were reported statewide in 2016, marking a 20.7% increase compared to the prior year. Males comprised 91% of the alleged murder offenders and 66% of the victims in 2016. Roughly two-thirds (68.6%) of the murder victims knew the offenders, and firearms were used in about half (51.4%) of the murders.
● Of the 2,851 murders, robberies, and aggravated assaults reported statewide in 2016, 43.9% were committed using strongarm weapons (i.e., hands, fists, and feet); 25.2% with “other” or unknown weapons; 18.3% with knives or other edged weapons; and 12.6% with firearms.
● Over $80 million in property value was reported stolen in the State of Hawai‘i in 2016, down 5.9% from the figure reported in 2015. Of the total value stolen in 2016, 32.2% was recovered, marking an increase from the 29.5% that was recovered in 2015.
● No police officers were killed in the line of duty in the State of Hawai‘i during 2016, but 373 officers were assaulted, yielding a rate of 12.5 assaults per 100 officers. Crime in Hawai‘i, 2016 also provides data on the time of day, type of assignment, and the weapons used in assaults against police officers.
● On Oct. 31, 2016, a total of 2,995 police officers and 784 civilians were employed by the four county police departments, denoting a 0.4% increase in workforce from the figures reported from Oct. 31, 2015.

Record Crime Rates*
State of Hawaii and Counties, 2016

State of Hawai‘i

Record low total Index Crime rate.
Record low property crime rate.
Record low burglary rate.
Record low larceny-theft rate.

Hawai‘i County
Record low total Index Crime rate.
Record low property crime rate.
Record low burglary rate.

Maui County
Record low total Index Crime rate.
Record low property crime rate.
Record low burglary rate.
Record low larceny-theft rate.

Kaua‘i County
Record low total Index Crime rate.
Record low property crime rate.
Record low burglary rate.
Record low larceny-theft rate.
Record low motor vehicle theft rate.

City & County of Honolulu
Record low burglary rate.

Copies of the complete “Crime in Hawaii, 2016” report can be downloaded from the Research and Statistics section of Attorney General’s Crime Prevention and Justice Assistance Division website.