In the recently released Uniform Crime reports, the FBI reports that the rates of both murder and manslaughter in the city of Austin and around the rest of the country have dropped. In Houston, the rates have dropped by an incredible 22%. Criminologists cannot attest for why this is and have very few theories. In an economic recession, such as one the United States has been in since December 2007, the rates of both nonviolent and violent crime usually increase. However, this is obviously not the case in Houston and statistically across the country according to the FBI.
One theory that criminologists have is that social groups are now considering violent crimes to be unacceptable, so members of those groups no longer commit crimes.
The Houston Police Department is understaffed by over one thousand officers. Authorities predict that if the police department had enough officers the crime rate statistics would be even lower due to the preventative actions a larger police station to take to reduce crime.
Unfortunately, the decreasing crime rates not extended to all types of violent crimes. The rates of both forcible rapes and aggravated assault have both increased in Houston since 2011. Forcible rape rates jumped 15% and aggravated assault rates jumped by 5%.