The nation’s crime rate is documented through two main reports. The Uniform Crime Report (UCR) is compiled annually by the FBI from over 18,000 jurisdictions around the country. Data is collected on murder and non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, arson, and human trafficking. National crime counts, as well as counts for regions, states, counties, cities, towns, tribal law enforcement, and colleges and universities are presented in the UCR.
The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) is an annual survey of more than 90,000 households conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, which asks Americans ages 12 and older whether they were the victims of crime in the past six months, regardless of whether they reported those crimes to the police or not.
The UCR shows the number of crimes reported to law enforcement, while NCVS helps identify the number and types of crimes not reported to law enforcement authorities.
Both reports show a considerable decrease in the violent crime rate since its peak in the early 1990s. According to the UCR, the rate dropped 50% between 1993 and 2015, the most recent full year available. The NCVS says the rate dropped 77% during that time frame.
However, the FBI reported a 3% increase in the violent crime rate between 2014 and 2015, including a 10% increase in the murder rate. In addition, the 2015 NCVS found that only 47% of violent crime and 35% of property crime among the participants had been reported to police. This increase in violent crime and lack of crime being reported to the police may be partially why public perceptions about crime disagrees with the numbers. In 21 Gallup surveys conducted since 1989, most Americans believed crime in the country went up compared to the year before, despite the generally downward trend in both violent and property crime rates during much of that time.
Hawaii Crime Rate
When it comes to violent crime including murder, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery, Hawaii is the 38th most dangerous state with 259.2 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
New Hampshire and Maine, which have similar population estimates to Hawaii, both have lower crime rates, ranked respectively as the 47th and 49th most dangerous states. New Hampshire has 196.1, and Maine has 127.8 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
Alaska is classified as the most dangerous state with 635.8 violent crimes per 100,000 people. The safest state is Vermont with 99.3 violent crimes per 100,000 people. California, the most populous state, ranks 17th most dangerous state with 396.1 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
In November 2016, the state Attorney General’s office published a report called Crime in Hawaii. Below are key statistics for the state.
– A total of 48,919 crimes were reported in 2015 with 7.2% (3,530) being violent crimes and the remaining 92.8% (45,389) classified as property crimes.
– Hawaii’s violent crime rate increased 2.3% compared to 2014 but went 12.9% below the rate reported in 2006.
– Of the 3,530 violent crimes reported in 2015, aggravated assault accounted for 53.2% (1,878), robbery accounted for 30.7% (1,085), rape accounted for 15.2% (538), and murder accounted for 0.8% (29).
– From 2014 to 2015, reported robbery increased by 12.4% and murder increased by 6.5%.
– Reported rape decreased by 1.9% and aggravated assault decreased by 1.6%.
– Of the 2,992 murders, aggravated assaults, and robberies, 47.1% (1,409) were committed with strongarm weapons such as hands, fists, and feet, 25% (749) with “other” or unknown weapons, 17.3% (519) with knives or cutting instruments, and 10.5% (315) with firearms.
– Property crime rate went down 0.5% compared to 2014 and 25.5% from 2006.
– Of the 45,389 property crimes reported in 2015, larceny-theft accounted for 73.0% (33,140), burglary accounted for 15.0% (6,810), and motor vehicle theft accounted for 12.0% (5,439). Arson is also a property crime, but because a different method of counting is used, arson is not included in the totals of property and index crimes.
– From 2014 to 2015, reported offenses for arson jumped by 66.1% statewide, but it decreased 46.2% compared to 2006.
Crime Statistics by County
Unlike most states that measure crime rates by city, Hawaii collects its data by county.
Is There A Lot Of Crime In Hawaii in 2024?
City & County of Honolulu
– In 2015, the County of Honolulu accounted for 69.8% of Hawaii’s population and roughly the same proportion of crime.
– Of the 33,522 total index crimes reported in 2015, property crimes accounted for 92.7% (31,085) and violent crimes accounted for 7.3% (2,437).
– Honolulu’s violent crime rate went up 6.6% compared to 2014 but decreased 19.2% from 2006.
– Of the 2,437 violent crimes reported in 2015, aggravated assault accounted for 49.6% (1,208), robbery accounted for 36.8% (896), rape accounted for 13.0% (318), and murder accounted for 0.6% (15).
– The City & County of Honolulu’s murder rate in 2015 was the lowest in the state with 15 reported murders.
– Honolulu’s property crime rate went down 0.8% compared to 2014 and 26.1% from 2006.
– Of the 31,085 property crimes reported, larceny-theft accounted for 73.8% (22,930), burglary accounted for 13.8% (4,284), and motor vehicle theft accounted for 12.5% (3,871).
– With 3,845 reported burglaries, the City & County of Honolulu’s burglary rate in 2015 was the lowest in the state and was the lowest on record since the beginning of statewide data collection in 1975.
Hawaii County (Big Island)
– In 2015, Hawaii County accounted for 13.7% of Hawaii’s population, 14.5% of the state’s
index crimes, 11.4% of the violent crimes, and 14.8% of the property crimes.
– Of the 7,096 total index crimes reported in 2015, property crimes accounted for 94.3% (6,695) and violent crimes accounted for 5.7% (401).
– The Big Island’s violent crime rate decreased 13.7% compared to 2014 and 19.2% from 2006.
– Of the 401 violent crimes reported in 2015, aggravated assault accounted for 60.9% (244), rape accounted for 23.7% (95), robbery accounted for 13.5% (54), and murder accounted for 1.9% (8).
– The Big Island’s murder rate in 2015 was the highest in the state. The amount of murders increased from 3 reported in 2014 to 8 in 2015.
– Hawaii County’s robbery rate in 2015 was the lowest in the state with 54 robberies reported.
– The Big Island’s property crime rate went down 2.1% compared to 2014 and 7.7% from 2006.
– Of the 6,695 property crimes reported, larceny-theft accounted for 70.6% (4,725), burglary accounted for 15.8% (1,061), and motor vehicle theft accounted for 13.6% (909).
– With 909 motor vehicle thefts reported, Hawaii County’s motor vehicle theft rate in 2015 was the highest in the state and the highest on record since the beginning of statewide data collection in 1975.
– At a rate of 15.8 per 100,000 people, Hawaii County’s arson rate in 2015 was the lowest in the state.
Maui County
– In 2015, Maui County accounted for 11.5% of Hawaii’s population, 13.4% of the state’s
index crimes, 15.8% of the violent crimes, and 13.2% of the property crimes.
– Maui County’s total index crime rate in 2015 was the highest in the state.
– Of the 6,562 total index crimes reported in 2015, property crimes accounted for 91.5% (6,005) and violent crimes accounted for 8.5% (557).
– Maui County’s violent crime rate in 2015 was the highest in the state. The rate increased 7.6% compared to 2014 and 63% from 2006.
– Of the 557 violent crimes reported in 2015, aggravated assault accounted for 62.1% (346), robbery accounted for 20.3% (113), rape accounted for 16.9% (94), and murder accounted for 0.7% (4).
– With 94 reported rapes, Maui County’s total rape rate in 2015, based on the FBI’s revised definition*, was the highest in the state.
– Maui County’s aggravated assault rate in 2015 was the highest in the state with 346 aggravated assaults reported.
– Maui County’s property crime rate in 2015 was the highest in the state. The rate increased 1.8% compared to 2014 and decreased 31.6% from 2006.
– Of the 6,005 property crimes reported, larceny-theft accounted for 73.5% (4,416), burglary accounted for 16.8% (1,007), and motor vehicle theft accounted for 9.7% (582).
– At a rate of 2,678 per 100,000 people, Maui County’s larceny-theft rate in 2015 was the highest in the state.
* Rape was previously defined as “the carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will.” The FBI revised the definition to include all genders and also count sodomy and
sexual assaults with an object, which were previously reported to the FBI as a sex offense instead of rape. The revised definition of rape is “the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” As of January 1, 2014, Hawaii began collecting rape data under the FBI’s revised definition but still computes data under the “legacy” definition for comparison purposes.
Kauai County
– In 2015, Kauai County accounted for 5% of Hawaii’s population, 3.6% of the state’s
index crimes, 3.8% of the violent crimes, and 3.5% of the property crimes.
– Kauai County’s total index crime rate in 2015 was the lowest in the state and the lowest on record since the beginning of statewide data collection in 1975.
– Of the 1,739 total index crimes reported in 2015, property crimes accounted for 92.2% (1,604) and violent crimes accounted for 7.8% (135).
– Kauai County’s violent crime rate in 2015 was the lowest in the state. The rate decreased 26.3% compared to 2014 and 28.9% from 2006.
– Of the 135 violent crimes reported in 2015, aggravated assault accounted for 59.3% (80), rape accounted for 23.0% (31), robbery accounted for 16.3% (22), and murder accounted for 1.5% (2).
– Kauai County’s aggravated assault rate in 2015 was the lowest in the state with 80 reported.
– Kauai County’s property crime rate in 2015 was the lowest in the state and the lowest on record since the beginning of statewide data collection in 1975. The rate decreased 22.4% compared to 2014 and 44.2% from 2006.
– Of the 1,604 property crimes reported, larceny-theft accounted for 66.6% (1,069), burglary accounted for 28.6% (458), and motor vehicle theft accounted for 4.8% (77).
– With 418 reported burglaries in 2015, Kauai County’s burglary rate was the highest in the state but also the lowest on record for Kauai County since the start of statewide data collection in 1975.
– At a rate of 1,501 per 100,000 people, Kauai County’s larceny-theft rate in 2015 was the lowest in the state and the lowest on record since the start of statewide data collection in 1975.
– With 77 motor vehicles reported stolen, Kauai County’s motor vehicle theft rate in 2015 was the lowest in the state and the lowest on record since the start of statewide data collection in 1975.
– At a rate of 66 per 100,000 people, Kauai County’s arson rate in 2015 was the highest in the state and the highest on record since the start of statewide data collection in 1980.
Hawaii Crime Rates and Population
It is important to note that crime rates are based on the number of crimes per 100,000 residents. The resident population encompasses the number of people whose usual place of residence is in an area. It includes military personnel stationed in the area and residents temporarily absent, but excludes visitors. The FBI uses resident population to determine crime rates for all states for comparison purposes.
However, due to Hawaii’s high visitor population at any given time, the crime rate would be more accurate for Hawaii if de facto population was used to calculate crime rates. De facto population includes the number of people physically present in the state: residents, tourists, and non-resident military personnel. Considering Hawaii’s relatively small resident population and large visitor population, the crime rates are skewed to be higher since population is based on residents and doesn’t factor in visitors.