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Preliminary data shows overall crime is down across Massachusetts, in Fall River

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BOSTON – As communities across Massachusetts prepare for the busy July 4th holiday and the peak summer season, the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced preliminary 2024 crime statistics. According to early data submitted to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, the National Incident-Based Reporting System, Part One crimes in Massachusetts declined in 2024 by 4.4% compared to 2023, with total NIBRS offenses dropping by 6.5%.

Participation in crime data reporting also reached a new milestone in 2024, with 394 state and local law enforcement agencies submitting a full year of statistics, up from 384 in 2023. This growth in participation demonstrates an increasing statewide commitment to transparency, accountability, and data-informed public safety efforts.

“This new data is encouraging and reflects the important work that law enforcement and community partners do day in and day out to keep the people of Massachusetts safe,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We know there is always more work to be done, and we remain committed to bringing people together to continue to enhance public safety in communities across the state.”

“Partnership between law enforcement and the communities they serve is the cornerstone of effective public safety. The continued improvements that we see in 2024 reflect a deeply held shared commitment to collaborative solutions that promote safer communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Data-driven analysis and transparency are essential tools to strengthening public safety and empowering communities.”

“While this 2024 data offers an encouraging snapshot-in-time, it also reinforces the importance of staying focused and coordinated in our efforts to reduce crime” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy. “We are deeply grateful for the tireless efforts of our federal, state, and local law enforcement as well as our many community partners and remain dedicated to our continued efforts to develop cooperative, evidence-based solutions that keep our Massachusetts neighborhoods safe.”

In 2024, the Healey-Driscoll Administration invested more than $45 million in targeted public safety initiatives. The funding administered by the Office of Grants and Research has supported a wide range of programs, including violence prevention efforts, reentry services, emerging adult initiatives, nonprofit security enhancements, and strategies to combat human trafficking and substance use disorder. From the Shannon Community Safety Initiative to the Emerging Adult Reentry Initiative and Commonwealth Project Safe Neighborhood, these resources have strengthened partnerships and interventions that keep Massachusetts communities safer.

Significant highlights from the 2024 data include:

  • Homicides decreased by 11.4% with 132 reported incidents. This figure is below the five-year average of 146.
  • Robberies fell by 8.6%, aggravated assaults dropped by 5.7%, and motor vehicle thefts saw a sharp decrease of 16.1%.
  • Fraud-related offenses, including identity theft and welfare fraud, experienced double-digit declines.
Reported Offense20232024Change% Change
Murder and Non-Negligent Homicide149132-17-11.4%
Forcible Rape Total1,9561,920-36-1.8%
Robbery Total2,6312,406-225-8.6%
Aggravated Assault Total17,83516,813-1,022-5.7%
Burglary Total9.5068.688-818-8.6%
Larceny-Theft Total61,08660,153-933-1.5%
Motor Vehicle Theft Total8,5587,182-1,376-16.1%
Total Part One Crime101,72197,294-4,427-4.4%

While overall hate crime incidents decreased, the 2024 data identified a troubling 20.5% increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes. For the first time since tracking began in 1991, anti-Jewish bias incidents surpassed anti-Black incidents as the most reported hate crime in Massachusetts. Additionally, Massachusetts experienced an increase in anti-transgender bias incidents.

While national and regional trends, such as a rise in shoplifting offenses, also impacted Massachusetts, overall crime reductions, including violent crime, affirm the positive impact of statewide public safety strategies.

In looking at overall offenses with a firearm, Homicides with a Firearm were down nearly 22%, Robberies with a Firearm were down by nearly 16%, and Aggravated Assaults with a Firearm were down by 10.65%.

Offenses20232024Change% Change
Criminal Homicide with a Firearm11086-24-21.82%
Robbery with a Firearm595501-94-15.80%
Aggravated Assault with a Firearm2,5082,241-267-10.65%
Weapon Law Violations3,6483,214-434-11.90%

To better understand the prevalence of firearm-related crime statewide, Massachusetts began tracking data on fatal and non-fatal shootings by adding “Gunshot Wound” as an injury type in its NIBRS collection. This new data initiative, implemented in the summer of 2024, makes Massachusetts the first state-in-the-nation to collect this data point. Collecting and analyzing this data will allow Massachusetts again to be at the forefront of data analysis and data-driven decision making. In 2024, the state captured information on 400 fatal and non-fatal shootings.

Fall River Crime Overview

   Number of Crimes: 5,187
   Clearance Rate: 43.76%
   Population: 93,879
   Crime Rate: 5525.20 per 100,000

Crime down 2.43% compared to 2023.

Number of Arrests: 2,565
Arrest Rate: 2732.24 per 100,000

Arrests down 8.65% compared to 2023

For more on preliminary crime data in Fall River, click here.

The FBI typically releases the official 2024 national crime statistics audited in September. Massachusetts crime analysts will continue to review data to identify emerging trends.

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