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By Martha McHardy
US News Reporter
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Violent crime committed by women has soared in California, with a new report published by the Public Policy Institute of California revealing a 60-percent increase from 1980 to 2023.
Why It Matters
The rise in violence committed by women in California signals a significant shift in crime trends. Traditionally, violent crime has been overwhelmingly male-dominated, but the increasing involvement of women raises questions about underlying causes.
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What To Know
According to the report by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), published on February 19, the female violent crime arrest rate in the state has risen by 60 percent since 1980, from 72 per 100,000 residents to 116 per 100,000 in 2023.
At the same time, the gender gap in arrest rates has narrowed. In 1980, men were arrested at a rate more than six times higher than that for women, with 11,258 arrests per 100,000 residents compared with 1,850 for women.
However, in the decades since, the female share of arrests has steadily increased, rising from 14.5 percent of all arrests in 1980 to 22.8 percent in 2023. This narrowing has been driven largely by a drop in male misdemeanor arrests from 8,336 per 100,000 residents in 1980 to 2,024 in 2023.
However, many more men than women are still being arrested in California, the report shows, with the male arrest rate in 2023 (3,089 per 100,000 residents) more than triple the female arrest rate of 905.
Overall Decline in Arrest Rates in California
Law enforcement agencies in the state reported roughly 776,500 arrests in 2023, amounting to a historic low of 1,992 arrests per 100,000 residents. This marks a slight 0.6 percent decline from 2022 and continues a long-term downward trend after arrests peaked in 1989 at 6,757 per 100,000 residents.
Misdemeanor and felony arrests have experienced the sharpest declines, with the number of misdemeanors dropping 31.7 percent since 2019 and felonies decreasing by 12 percent over the same period.
According to California Governor Gavin Newsom's office, property crime decreased in 13 of the 17 years between 2007 and 2023, meaning it was 44 percent lower in 2023 than in 2007 and 55 percent lower than it was 30 years ago. However, California reported the most violent and property crimes in the country in 2023.
It is worth noting that the population of California is the largest in the country and 8 million higher than the next most populous state, Texas. In addition, its population density is more than double that of the Lone Star State.
Despite the overall decrease, felony arrests for violent crimes have grown as a share of total arrests. In 2023, violent offenses accounted for 38.2 percent of felony arrests, up from 36.6 percent in 2022. Drug-related felony arrests remained stable, comprising 7.6 percent of felony arrests in 2023 compared to 7.7 percent the previous year. Weapons-related felony arrests, however, saw a decline, making up 8.9 percent of felony arrests in 2023, down from 9.7 percent in 2022.
Misdemeanor arrests, which increased slightly to 517,600 in 2023, continue to be dominated by drug offenses, which made up nearly a quarter (24.9 percent). Other leading misdemeanors included driving under the influence (19.2 percent) and battery/assault (15.1 percent). Public intoxication accounted for 6 percent, while petty theft made up 4.2 percent.
The fall in arrest rates has been especially marked among Black and Latino Californians. In 1988, the Black arrest rate reached a peak of 18,856 per 100,000 residents, the highest among any racial group. However, by 2023, this rate had declined by 70 percent to 5,596 per 100,000 residents—a significant drop of 13,181 arrests per 100,000 people.
Similar declines have occurred among Latino and white Californians, though at varying rates. In 2023, Latinos had an arrest rate of 2,242 per 100,000 residents, a 73 percent decrease since 1988. White Californians saw a 65 percent decline in the same period, bringing their 2023 arrest rate to 1,823 per 100,000 residents.
California ranks 17th in the nation for violent crime rates, according to getsafeandsound.com.
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What is Driving the Decline in Arrests?
Policy director of criminal justice and a senior fellow at the PPIC, Magnus Lofstrom, told Newsweek that "decreases in crime rates is the primary driver behind the drop in the arrest rate." He added that California's criminal justice reforms have also contributed.
"More recently, criminal justice responses to prevent the spread of COVID led to significant and lasting, at least as of 2023, decreases in arrests, especially for misdemeanor arrests," he said.
During the pandemic, many jurisdictions implemented policies to reduce jail populations, including fewer arrests for misdemeanors and early releases for nonviolent offenders. Public activity also declined during the pandemic, leading to fewer opportunities for crime and, subsequently, fewer arrests.
He added that the passing of Proposition 47 in 2014 has also played a role. Proposition 47 reclassified certain nonviolent drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, with the goal of reducing incarceration rates and reallocating resources to education, mental health, and victim services. The arrest rate went down by 11 percent after Proposition 47 was implemented in California in 2014, driven by declines in felony arrests, especially for drug offenses.
Meanwhile, the decriminalization of marijuana via Proposition 64 in 2016 reduced the arrest rate by reducing the number of arrests for cannabis-related offenses.
Age is also a factor. Nationwide, younger people are more likely to be arrested but California's aging population means fewer individuals in the age groups most associated with criminal activity.
On the increase in the female violent crime arrest rate specifically, Lofstrom and senior researcher for the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, Mike Males, told Newsweek that increased domestic violence policing that began in the 1980s is a major factor.
"While men are more likely to be arrested for violence throughout society, women's violence arrests disproportionately occur from domestic incidents," Males said.
Before the mid-1980s, domestic violence was often treated as a private matter rather than a serious criminal offense in California. But after the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) was passed in 1984, the law allowed for mandatory arrests for domestic violence incidents where officers had probable cause to believe an assault had occurred, even if they didn't witness it. This increased domestic violence arrests significantly, and more women were arrested as well, sometimes due to dual arrest policies where both partners were taken into custody.
What People Are Saying
California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a press release in October: "California's comprehensive effort – utilizing effective and proven tools and strategies – have continually driven down crime rates and saved taxpayer money. We'll continue to work collaboratively for real results to keep Californians safe."
Senior researcher for the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, Mike Males, told Newsweek: "The main reason female violence arrests rose was the sharply increased domestic violence policing that began in the 1980s. New laws in that era mandated arrests in more serious cases. While men are more likely to be arrested for violence throughout society, women's violence arrests disproportionately occur from domestic incidents."
Policy director of criminal justice and a senior fellow at the PPIC, Magnus Lofstrom, told Newsweek: "While the arrest rate for violent offenses for women in California in 2023 was higher than it was in the 1980s, it's about 15 percent-20 percent lower than it was during its peak years in the mid-1990s, and 5 percent-10 percent lower than it was in any year during the first decade of the 2000s.
"Since then, while it fluctuates from year to year, it has stayed relatively flat. Even so, it is in stark contrast with the violent offense arrest rate trend for men, which has been trending down notably and steadily since the mid-1990s, down by more than 50 percent in 2023 compared to the 1990s. In fact, in 2023 we saw the lowest male violent arrest rate we have seen since 1980 (earliest year we have data for).
"I do not think it is well understood why the women's arrest rate trend in California for violent offenses is markedly different from that of men, but it is a pattern that has been observed in the rest of the country."
What Happens Next
Whether arrests continue to decline in California in the coming years remains to be seen. Data for 2024 has not yet been released.
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