Crime is Down in Much of Southern Idaho

Crime is down in Twin Falls County.  The overall drop in 2019 was nearly 6 full percent.  Owyhee County had a double digit drop and Jerome County dropped almost double digits.  Cassia and Minidoka Counties also saw declines.  In Minidoka it’s a slight slip.  The number in Lincoln County is up slightly and in Gooding County there was a nearly double digit increase, however.  Keep in mind, in rural counties, a couple of major crimes can greatly skew numbers when sample sizes are small.

Statewide, there was a big dip in the homicide rate.  Same with gambling crimes. 

There was a huge spike in animal cruelty crimes across Idaho.  Perhaps because people are becoming more aware and reporting more instances of animal abuse.  Extortion, embezzlement, kidnapping, sex crimes and drug offenses also increased statewide.

The figures are compiled from calendar year 2019 and can be seen by clicking here.

You’ll notice there’s a measurement by “density”. You’ll see where there are major highways these numbers can appear steep.  Crime often follows trade and travel routes.

We’ll have guests at Magic Valley This Morning spread over the next couple of weeks offering a breakdown of the statistics.  You can hear the program at Newsradio 1310, KLIX.

Sometimes there are trends spotted and even with a drop in certain areas it requires greater enforcement or more law enforcement at the street level.  And while the current public mood in Southern Idaho is supportive of troopers, deputies and police, paying more taxes remains unpopular.  Drug crimes are up locally and these are areas often associated with rapid population growth.