Criminal Statistics in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Criminal Statistics in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offers a wide range of tourist attractions. The city is known for its pristine beaches, fishing, water activities, museum, parks and temperate weather. As of 2009, population estimates stand at about 185,000 residents for the city. However, with this population comes the unpleasant element of criminal activity. Statistics bear out that Ft. Lauderdale has one of the highest crime rates in the state. If you are arrested in the city, a Ft. Lauderdale criminal attorney will provide you with more information on how to fight for your rights in court.

The City of Fort Lauderdale Police Department provides criminal statistics in a wide variety of categories. They track violent and property crimes separately. Violent crimes include homicides, forcible sex offense, aggravated assaults and robbery. Between 2009 and 2011, police investigated 10 homicides. In January and February of 2012, three additional homicides occurred. During the same three-year period, criminals committed 40 forcible sex offenses. In the first two months of 2012, offenders had already committed 16 sex offenses. Total robberies stood at 368 reports for 2009, 2010 and 2011. For January and February of 2012, officers filed 119 robbery reports. Aggravated assaults for the same three-year time frame stood at 276. For the first two months of 2012, offenders committed 74 assaults.

Property crime cases included burglaries of businesses, hotels/motels, schools, residences and vehicles, along with actual vehicle thefts and larceny cases. During 2009, offenders committed 1,775 property crimes, while the number of property crimes during 2010 increased to 1,858 incidents. During 2011, property crimes dropped to a three-year low of 1,687 offenses. During January and February of 2012, police investigated 1,432 property crimes.

Police cleared a total of 898 arrests during 2009, 2010 and 2011. Of those cases, 761 were cleared adult cases from 2009 to 2011, with no cases cleared in January or February of 2012. During the same time frame, officers cleared 135 juvenile cases, again with no cases cleared during the first two months of 2012. Slight variations in statistics indicate an overlap in adult and juvenile arrests. A total of 37 cases were solved through exceptional clearance, which means that the police knew who committed the crime, but no arrest was made, such as in the case of a death bed confession.

If you are accused of committing a crime, you need to contact a reputable and experienced Ft. Lauderdale criminal attorney who can help you resolve your court case.