United States Attorney Ron Parsons says according to the FBI’s 2018 Crime in the United States Report released this week, the estimated number of violent crimes in the District of South Dakota decreased in 2018 for the first time in five years, dropping 4.9 percent from the 2017 number. Even more significantly, the violent crime rate fell 5.8% when compared with the 2017 rate. The 2018 statistics show the estimated rate of violent crime in South Dakota was 404.7 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants.
This was first decline in the violent crime rate in South Dakota in five years. 
The most dramatic drop was seen in the category of murders and non-negligent homicides, which declined by 56 percent from 2017 to 2018.
“These numbers are a testament to the tireless efforts and dedication of our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers working to protect us every day,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “We must always remember that these men and women cannot do their jobs effectively without the help and support of the general public. Fortunately, we have that here in South Dakota. We are grateful for the tremendous community support shown for law enforcement officers across the state.”
As announced by Attorney General William P. Barr earlier this week, the estimated number of violent crimes in the United States as a whole decreased 3.3 percent from the 2017 number. The national violent crime rate fell 3.9 percent when compared with the 2017 rate. This was the second consecutive year that violent crime has decreased nationwide.
Two years ago, the Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the centerpiece of the department’s violent crime reduction strategy. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Throughout the past two years, the department’s United States Attorneys have partnered with all levels of law enforcement, local organizations, and members of the community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
