Members of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) this week released the agency’s 2020 Crime in Tennessee publication, which reported that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the state’s crime numbers.
The publication details the volume and nature of crime, as reported by Tennessee’s law enforcement agencies, according to a TBI press release.
The report compiles data submitted to TBI through the Tennessee Incident-Based Reporting System (TIBRS).
“With the COVID pandemic came closures of workplaces, schools, daycares, extracurricular activities, church services and many other community-based social venues,” the report noted.
“The data analysis and the numerous graphs and charts in the publication illustrate the sharp decline in reported crime.”
Among the report’s findings:
• A total of 506,558 Group A (typically the most serious) offenses were reported in 2020, decreasing 5.0 percent from 2019.
• 136,407 Group A arrests were made in 2020, of which 6.8 percent were juveniles.
• The crime rate per 100,000 for Group A offenses was 7,355.5.
• There were a total of 18,167 DUI arrests in 2020, a decrease of 7.1 percent from 2019.
TBI Director David Rausch (pictured above) said in the press release that the TIBRS program serves as a model for the nation.
“TBI remains committed to this effort and will continue to provide the training and technical assistance necessary to collect the most accurate and comprehensive crime statistics for Tennessee and its citizens,” Rausch said in the press release.
According to the report, Tennessee law mandates that all law enforcement agencies, as well as colleges and universities, report crime statistics monthly to the TBI.
“This report is based upon a ‘snapshot’ of the database as [of] July 8, 2021. As agencies update their 2020 data, changes will be reflected at Crimeinsight.tbi.tn.gov,” according to the report.
“At the time of this report’s release, zero agencies failed to be in compliance with reporting requirements and were listed as decertified.”
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
