Violent crime occurs at a rate of 456 per 100,000 population in Travis County

We are free from abuse, neglect, crime, violence and injustice.

Indicator: Violent crime rate in Travis County

Significance of Indicator: Victims of violent crime face tangible costs of over $17 billion annually because of medical and mental health care expenses, lost productivity, and property damage according to a report by the National Institute of Justice. If the intangible costs of reduced quality of life, pain, and suffering are added to this, the total rises to $330 billion. Children are more likely to be exposed to violence and crime than adults are. According to Child Trends, children who are exposed to violence are more likely to suffer from conduct problems, health-related problems, and cognitive problems.

what the data tell us

The Travis County violent crime rate increased approximately 6% from 2008. to 2009. The long-term trend of violent crime shows that there is relative stability in the violent crime rate for Travis County.

Definition: The crime count of incidents (including aggravated assaults, robberies, rapes, and homicides) divided by population to produce a rate per 100,000 persons in the population.

Data Source: Capital Area Council of Governments, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Data Considerations: Aggravated assault incidences broadly include everything from bar fights to domestic violence to serious bodily harm. Some violent crime incidences are not reported to authorities.

The Story Behind the indicator

Crime in Travis County tends to occur in areas where there are dense concentrations of people. More analysis is needed to determine why some of these dense areas of our county tend to be crime hotspots. While the overall violent crime rate increased over the past year in Travis County, the number of juvenile violent crime referrals has remained relatively stable for the past five years. To learn more about the story behind the violent crime rate in our community, click here.

Some local efforts to improve this indicator

Coalitions and collaborations, such as the Austin/Travis Family Violence Task Force, the Start Strong Coalition, the Austin/ Travis County Reentry Roundtable, and Central Texas Afterschool Network, are helping to monitor and create programs and practices that impact violent crime.
Austin Regional Intelligence Center provides a strategy that will allow local law enforcement entities to share information across jurisdictional lines.
Special problem-solving courts/dockets have been created locally to impact issues such as substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence, repeat offenders, etc.
Prevention programs are widely utilized across our community to help prevent violence.

A Closer look at the story behind the indicators

In 2009, Austin had a lower violent crime rate than most other big cities in Texas with the exception of El Paso .

Total Violent Crime Rate Per 100,000: City Comparison

Definition: The crime count of incidents (including aggravated assaults, robberies, rapes, and homicides) divided by population to produce a rate per 100,000 persons in the population.

Data Source: Austin Police Department

Although violent crime occurs throughout the region, there is a correlation between density and crime. Many vio-lent crimes occur along Austin/Travis County's I-35 corridor.

Definition: Violent crime (including aggravated assaults, robberies, rapes, and homicides) plotted on a map of Travis County

Data Source: Austin Police Department, Travis County Sheriff's Office

Data Considerations: There are different ways to map data on where violent crime takes place. Mapping techniques may affect the visual display of data.

The number of referrals for juvenile violent crime has remained relatively stable since fiscal year 2005.

Definition: Any occasion when a child 10-16 years old is brought to juvenile probation department's attention for alleged delinquent conduct or violation of the conditions of supervision for the offenses of murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, forcible sex offenses and robbery, or assault with injury.

Data Source: Travis County Juvenile Probation

Data Considerations: Juvenile violent crime referrals include simple assaults, while adult violent crime does not include such offenses.

A significantly high percentage of juvenile probation referrals who are screened demonstrate mental health needs and/or substance abuse needs.

% of Juvenile Referrals with Behavioral Health Needs

Definition: % of referred juveniles with cases disposed who were found to have mental health needs and/or substance abuse needs in screenings

Data Source: Travis County Juvenile Probation

Data Considerations: This data also includes juveniles with referrals for non-violent offenses. Juveniles with violent offenses constituted 15% of the Travis County Juvenile Probation population in fiscal year 2009.