ISAC is pleased to announce a major expansion of the Crime in Idaho Data Dashboard (https://isp.idaho.gov/pgr/sac/dashboards/crime-in-idaho-data-dashboard/), which displays data collected from state and local law enforcement agencies on reported crime in Idaho since 2005.

Updates include:

 -- A new State Crime Overview page

 -- New sections for data on offense characteristics, including:
     -- Offense counts and rates by year
     -- Offense clearance rates and average time to clearance
     -- Offense day of week, hour of day, and location type
     -- Use of weapons, drugs, or alcohol by offender during the commission of the offense
     -- Data on gang-related offenses
     -- Data on hate crimes
     -- Additional data specific to property or drug offenses (type/value of stolen property; specific type of drug offense, such as possession, distribution, etc.)

Some state-level highlights from the expanded data:

 -- In 2021, the total offense rate dropped 0.7% from 2020 to 57.7 offenses per 1,000 residents. This is 41% lower than the 2005 rate (97.4), and the lowest point in that time span.

 -- The long-term drop in the offense rate was driven by large decreases in the rates of crimes against persons (down 31% since 2005), crimes against property (down 56%), and Group B offenses (these include DUI, disorderly conduct, loitering, and other less serious offenses; down 55%).

 -- The only group of offenses that saw a rate increase since 2005 was crimes against society (up 54%). This increase was driven by an increase in the rate of drug offenses (up 104%). In 2021, drug offenses accounted for a full quarter (25%) of all offenses recorded that year, up from 9% in 2005.

 -- While the Group B offense rate was 55% lower in 2021 (15.0) than 2005 (33.0), it was the only other offense group besides crimes against society to increase from 2020 levels, when the offense rate was 13.8 (a 9% increase). However, this could be attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Group B offense rate dropped 23% in 2020 compared to 2019 (when the rate was 17.9), and despite the increase in 2021, the offense rate was still lower in 2021 than 2019. By definition, most Group B offenses occur in public, and pandemic-era restrictions on public gatherings may have led to the sharp decrease in these offenses in 2020.

 -- Although the rate of crimes against persons has been falling since 2005, the rate of sex offenses has been heading in the opposite direction. In 2021, the sex offense rate increased 6.9% from 2020 (1.2 and 1.3, respectively). The rate of 1.3 in 2021 is the highest it has been since 2009 (1.4), and a 25% increase from a low of 1.0 in 2014.

This data and more, including county-level data on these topics, can be viewed on the dashboard.

The Crime in Idaho Data Dashboard, which is still under construction, allows users to explore much of the data housed in the Idaho Incident-Based Reporting System, Idaho's vast repository of law enforcement data on criminal incidents that occur within Idaho and the same data set that drives the annual Crime in Idaho report series. Agency, county, and state data from between 2005 and 2021 can be visualized in one place, allowing for highly customizable views and quick trend analysis. The dashboard currently contains sections pertaining to crimes against persons, crimes against property, and drug/alcohol-related arrests, intimate partner violence, and sex offenses, with additional sections to follow as they are built. Data updates are provided annually on or around July 1st. This project is a collaborative effort between ISAC and the Idaho Uniform Crime Reporting Program, both of which are components of the Idaho State Police.

The Idaho Statistical Analysis Center (ISAC) is located within the Planning, Grants & Research Department of the Idaho State Police. The mission of ISAC is to disseminate research, data and statistics related to crime, illegal drugs, victim services, and the administration of justice in Idaho. To learn more about ISAC, or to access other data dashboards and publications, visit our website at https://isp.idaho.gov/pgr/sac/.