The Memphis Shelby County Crime Commission’s (MSCCC) latest report shows that the overall crime rate, as well as major violent and property crimes and juvenile crimes, saw an overall increase in 2023 compared to 2022.
The crime commission released its 2023 Annual Report. The statistics compare crime in Memphis and in Shelby County. The rates are released in conjunction with the University of Memphis Public Safety Institute.
“The sources of the crime rates issued by the University of Memphis Public Safety Institute and the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission are data submitted to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s (TBI) Tennessee Incident-Based Reporting System (TIBRS) by individual law enforcement agencies,” MSCCC said.
MSCCC mentions that the city has “a lot of positive momentum” in terms of tourism, Tom Lee Park, the construction of the Memphis Art Museum, and more. However, they said in order to propel this “momentum” forward, the area needs to “get a handle on our unacceptably high crime rate.
“We saw some encouraging signs during the latter part of 2023,” MSCCC said. “For the entire year, though, crime rates in almost all major categories moved in the wrong direction compared to 2022.”
The report classifies major violent crimes as murders, rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults, and major property crimes as burglaries, auto thefts, and other felony theft offenses, or larcenies.
Overall crime in both jurisdictions increased from 2022 to 2023, with the city of Memphis reporting 19,962 reported incidents in 2023, compared to 18,554 in 2022. Shelby County reported 15,380 crimes in 2023, and 14,509 in 2022.
According to the crime commission, there was a 52.3 percent increase in murders in 2023 compared to 2022. These incidents were calculated “per 100,000 population.)
Domestic violence incidents were up by 3 percent, and “gun related violent incidents” in the city of Memphis increased by 11.6 percent .
Included in the report is the “Safe Community Action Plan Status Report,” which is one of the solutions towards “reducing violence.” In terms of gun violence, the commission is on track with “vigorous federal prosecution of gun crime as a priority, and “establishing a special Memphis Police Department Unit to investigate aggravated assault incidents involving guns.”
MSCCC reported that they are “on track” with these developments, however they are “slightly behind schedule” on “expanding violence interveners” tasked with preventing “retaliatory violence.” They also said they are behind on “developing and implementing an effort to reduce thefts of vehicles and guns.”
While the city saw an increase in multiple areas, the report concluded that “serious juvenile charges” were down 13.3 percent in 2023 (569) compared to 2022 (656). This follows a trend of decreased charges starting from 2011.
The report does not state what is considered “serious juvenile charges,” however it cited aggravated assault, aggravated robbery, and carjacking as “serious delinquent juvenile offenses.” The commission called these “especially disturbing.”
The statistics show that there was an overall increase in juvenile or charges compared to 2022. “Delinquent juvenile charges” were up by 15.9 percent.
Per the status report, the commision says it is on track with “expanding efforts” to engage with youth prior to committing any offense or “before they encounter law enforcement or the juvenile justice system.” The commission reports that it has developed a system regarding intensive supervision, rehabilitation. and treatment for “serious juvenile offenders.” MSCCC reported it is slightly behind on a plan that helps to “break the cycle of repeat offenders.”