To illustrate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the volume and nature of crime in the state, this week the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released select preliminary crime data trends for the first three months of 2020.
This, according to a press release that TBI officials released this week.
The data, gathered through TBI’s Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System (TIBRS), compiles incidents submitted by the state’s law enforcement agencies. TBI officials said the preliminary statistics, subject to change as agencies investigate these reported incidents further, reveal the following:
• Comparing January through March of 2019 and 2020, reported instances of burglary decreased by approximately 17 percent.
• Burglaries reported as having occurred in a home decreased approximately 20 percent, while those reported in many public places increased, including convenience stores (up more than 15 percent year-to-year), liquor stores (up approximately 53 percent), and department/discount stores (up more than 15 percent).
• Crimes reported as having a domestic violence nexus decreased by approximately 4 percent comparing the same time periods.
• The combined number of reported thefts and crimes designated as violent in nature decreased by more than 5 percent. However, the number of those crimes involving a firearm increased by more than 3 percent.
“We are thankful to the state’s law enforcement agencies for prioritizing these data submissions,” TBI Director David Rausch said in the press release.
“This snapshot helps all stakeholders have a better idea of how the pandemic has impacted public safety. I join all of my law enforcement colleagues in reminding the public all of our agencies are here to help during this, and every, emergency.”
As The Tennessee Star reported last month, more Tennesseans died from suicide than the coronavirus during one week, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs said.
“Thus far, our reaction to COVID-19 has been to sacrifice the global economy,” Jacobs said. “The truth is: a sick economy produces sick people.”
According to Jacobs, the Knox County Regional Forensic Center examined nine suspected suicides in under 48 hours in one week.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
The small percentage differences in many of the categories mentioned are simple what should be termed “noise” and show no statistical significance. The decline in home burglaries is a no brainer. People with guns are forced to stay at home. Even thieves understand this. This is really not news worth reporting.