News reports about the state of crime in Colorado since the passage of Colorado’s marijuana legalization measures have portrayed a state in which crime is down and tax revenues are up. In 2013, however, crime reports throughout the state rose slightly, according to a report from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
According to the CBI report, crime reports rose 1.8 percent for all crimes over the 2012 total. The report includes the annual Crime Index, which tracks seven different criminal offenses. Because the same seven offenses are used from year to year, the index is often used to track fluctuations in their rate over time. Simple possession of marijuana is not one of the seven offenses included in the Crime Index.
The CBI report found that violent crimes, including murder, non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, increased 2.1 percent between 2012 and 2013. The number of forcible rape cases reported increased the most, by 41.3 percent. However, the CBI notes that the increase in the number of rapes may have less to do with an actual increase in rape than with the fact that two different types of rape, forcible sodomy and sexual assault with an object, were added to the report. The report also noted that 202 fewer robberies were reported statewide in 2013 than in 2012, representing a 6 percent decrease.
If you’ve been charged with a crime in Colorado, don’t wait: call the experienced Colorado Springs criminal defense attorneys at The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. Your initial consultation is free and confidential.