Crime Statistics

According to Broward criminal attorney William Moore, Fort Lauderdale’s crime statistics exceed the national average. Although decidedly less violent than neighboring Fort Lauderdale, violent crime rates in the city of Fort Lauderdale remain an issue, especially during a recession. Crime typically increases when unemployment is high. There are likely to main reasons: first, when people are out of work they may be more likely to engage in criminal activity in the extra time on their hands and secondly, because they have less financial resources, they are more inclined to resort to property crimes, such as theft, robbery, burglary, and particularly shoplifting, according to Broward criminal lawyer Moore.a

The most recent year for which crime statistics are available is 2006 and the figures may not accurately reflect current crime trends in Broward County, says Fort Lauderdale criminal defense attorney Moore. For every 1,000 residents of the city of Fort Lauderdale, approximately 67 will become the victims of a property crime in a given year. Likewise, about 10 of every 1,000 people will be violently victimized.a

Per 100,000 residents of Fort Lauderdale, there were about 12 murders in 2006. Compared to national statistics, that number is high. Nationally per 100,000 people, there were seven murders. Larceny and theft occurs close to twice as often in Fort Lauderdale compared to the national average, while burglaries happen about 60 percent more frequently. Motor vehicle thefts, meanwhile, are only slightly above the national average: 599 in Fort Lauderdale compared to 502 nationally.a

Residents of Fort Lauderdale are more than twice as likely to be robbed. Figures for the city are about 1.5 times higher for rape than national averages, although rape is a traditionally underreported crime regardless of the jurisdiction. Aggravated assaults are somewhat higher than the national average in Fort Lauderdale, at 439 per 100,000 residents compared to 337 nationally.a

In general, larger cities tend to see much higher rates of crime than smaller communities. Although the Fort Lauderdale area has higher rates of crime than the national average, the figures do not adequately take into account the fact that Fort Lauderdale is a relatively large city. Small towns and rural areas tend to see very low rates of violent crime. For example, a rural town with only 2,000 residents would be unlikely to see any murders within a given year. Some crimes, like robberies, tend to happen much more frequently in large cities due to the relative anonymity.a

Fort Lauderdale criminal lawyer William R. Moore has years of experience in criminal defense, including sex crimes and DUI. A felony or misdemeanor conviction of any type can have far-reaching consequences on your freedom, your employment, and your personal life. If you have been arrested in south Florida, contact William Moore, P.A., with offices in Fort Lauderdale-Dade, Broward, and Fort Lauderdale Counties.a