TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida's crime rate is the lowest it's been since the state began keeping statewide statistics 47 years ago.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott announced Tuesday that the number of crimes in Florida dropped by 4.5 percent in 2017. Overall, the number of crimes per resident dropped by 6 percent.
Nearly every major crime was down from the previous year. One notable exception was reported rapes, which increased by 4.6 percent.
There were 1,057 murders in Florida, down from 1,108 in 2016. The 2016 statistics include 49 people killed at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.
The report lists firearms as the weapon used in 791 of the state's murders.
Florida’s crime rate is at a 47-year low. More info here – http://t.co/wUHfiLRbh8pic.twitter.com/oboUcgNJkW
— Rick Scott (@FLGovScott) May 22, 2018
