“Serious crimes rates” in Kentucky fell significantly in 2024.
Gov. Andy Beshear and Attorney General Russell Coleman announced on Tuesday that “overall serious crime rates in 2024 dropped by nearly 8 percent compared to the prior year.”
“As we build Our New Kentucky Home, we’re ensuring not only that our communities are safer, but that our people feel safer too,” Beshear said. “Today’s announcement is a testament to our law enforcement officers’ commitment to serve and protect the commonwealth as we make our communities stronger, our streets safer.”
The 2024 Crime in Kentucky report shows that from 2023 to 2024, of the 23 categories, 17 experienced a decrease in crimes reported, indicating an overall decrease of 7.7 percent in reports of serious, Category A crime. Some of the notable data indicates an 11.6 percent decrease in drug/narcotic offenses, a 12.7 percent decrease in homicide offenses, and a 13.8 percent decrease in sex offenses.
Overdose deaths
2024 became the third straight year overdose deaths have decreased in Kentucky, as the commonwealth saw 30.2 percent fewer overdose deaths than 2023 “thanks to the increased availability of naloxone and recovery services across the state,” according to the governor’s office.
A few crimes see increases
A few crimes saw an increase in 2024 from 2023, including arson (16.4 percent increase), prostitution offenses (12.7 percent increase) and counterfeiting/forgery (1.3 percent increase).
Additionally, gambling offenses rose from six offenses in 2023 to 90 offenses in 2024, an increase of 1,400 percent.
The data was compiled by Kentucky State Police.
To read the full report, click here.
More about the report
The statistics published within the Crime in Kentucky Report are collected through the receipt of offense and arrest data, which are submitted to Kentucky State Police by law enforcement agencies throughout the commonwealth.
KSP requires law enforcement to submit their data through the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), which is the standard reporting system for the FBI. NIBRS data are submitted electronically to the state in one of two ways: through the state’s free reporting tool, known as KYOPS, or through an agency’s own incident-based reporting system.
Four agencies in Kentucky submit through their own reporting system: Louisville Metro Police Department, Winchester Police Department, Owensboro Police Department, and Nelson County Sheriff’s Office. Copies of these agencies’ data can be found in the appendices of the report.
The statistics presented in the report are a snapshot of offense and arrest data at the time of release. Reports received after the release date and updates to previously submitted data can affect prior totals. Therefore, data is not static and is subject to changes after publication.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
