The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office has released its 2016 Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) crime statistics for Part 1 Crimes (Homicide, Rape, Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Theft and Arson).

The data represents the information collected from the five contract cities where the Sheriff’s Office provides police services and the unincorporated areas of the county. Those cities are Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Moorpark, Fillmore and Ojai.

Overall, reported crime is down 1% when combining all of the Sheriff’s jurisdictions. However, overall Part 1 Violent Crime increased by 1% or 6 total crimes. The increases in violent crime were reported in Rapes and Robberies. Only the city of Fillmore showed a decrease in violent crime (-49%). All the contracted cities and the unincorporated area showed decreases in Part 1 Property Crimes, with the exception of the city of Thousand Oaks (+7%).

Although there was a very small decrease in reported Part 1 crimes in 2016, since 2014 the overall crime total has increased by 5%. This equates to over 200 additional victims in our county. The most dramatic increase has been in the violent crime category, which has increased by over 30%, equating to an additional 130 victims. It’s too early to determine if this crime trend increase after the passage of AB 109 (Prison Reduction) and Prop 47 is leveling out, but we will continue to examine the data we obtain.

Proposition 47, which reclassified a number of felonies to misdemeanors in 2014, was expected to reduce the prison and jail population statewide. While some county jurisdictions have seen modest reductions in their jail population, Ventura County has not. Our inmate population remains at pre-Prop 47 levels. Our justice system has reoriented itself to address an increase in misdemeanor court cases and a reduction in felony cases. This is the second full year of post Prop 47 releases of offenders and the reduction of certain felonies to misdemeanors. Sheriff’s Office statistics show that 42% (1,840) of convicted offenders have reoffended since their release from custody since Prop 47 was enacted. That is a 10% increase over 2015’s reoffender list. We continue to evaluate crime and arrest data in an attempt to definitively measure the local effects of Proposition 47, it certainly appears that a review of the logical progression of a downward trend in crimes since 2007 and now a marked increase in 2015 and a similar amount of crimes in 2016 would make us believe there is a direct connection. Additionally, these crime statistics do not take into consideration any impacts from the recently passed Proposition 57, wherein current prison inmates convicted of non-violent crimes would be considered for early parole, as there is no statistical information available locally or from the state.

We also continue to encourage people to actively report suspicious and/or criminal activity immediately by calling 9-1-1. Non-emergency reports can be made through our Sheriff’s Communication Center by calling (805) 654-9511.