Florida Gov. Rick Scott announced Tuesday in Jacksonville that the state’s crime rate dropped 6 percent in 2017, a 47-year low for the Sunshine State.
On top of that, Scott said violent crimes were down 3 percent in the same time period.
Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams also announced some local numbers regarding crime, stating that non-fatal shootings were down 36 percent across the city. Meanwhile, the problematic Zone 5 on the Northwest side of town saw a 12.5 percent decrease in murder last year.
Mayor Lenny Curry stated during the Tuesday morning news conference that JSO has been committed to getting “the bad guys” and that “one violent crime is one too many.”
Curry also stated that he has worked to give JSO the resources it needs to do its job, including the addition of 180 new police officers.
Gov. Scott thanked law enforcement across the state for their commitment in fighting violent crime.
He also lamented on the loss of law enforcement across the state this year, holding a moment of silence for those who died in the line of duty.
“Every time this happens, a family is tragically impacted,” Scott said. “These tragedies have been horrible for our state.”
The Tallahassee Democrat reports the state prison system has cut programs aimed at dramatically reducing substance abuse, assisting in mental health issues and providing re-entry programs to fill a $28 million hole in the budget.
When asked if he feels the cuts would impact the gains he’s helped facilitate in crime reduction across the state, Scott said he feels it could be a concern, but cited that recidivism is down and crime rates have continued to drop.