Michigan Crime Numbers: Here’s How the State is Trending
Crime is always a hot topic. Of course, everyone wants to be as safe as possible in Michigan and beyond. If you have kids, then you really want to rest easy knowing they’re safe, too. So, it’s always good to be aware of where crime is in your area and the safest places to live. Well, a new crime report is out for the United States, and it’s surprising. The reason it’s surprising is because it’s the opposite of a lot of public perception. Let’s check out the new crime numbers in Michigan.
Right now, more than three-quarters of Americans believe there is a higher crime rate in the U.S. than a year ago. Also, more than half of Americans say the same for local crime where they live, reports a recent Gallup poll. But, what’s the reality?
The reality is that the U.S. had its biggest annual drop in homicides on record in 2023, reports ABC News. “The homicide rate in the United States is expected to plummet nearly 13% compared to 2022, meaning more than 2,000 fewer people were the victims of homicide this year,” Jeff Asher, a national crime analyst, said in an interview with ABC News. Asher also details the decline, which is happening in both large and small cities, in his own report on Substack.
So, what direction are the new crime numbers going in Michigan and, particularly, Detroit? ABC News did a review of preliminary crime data from the 10 largest U.S. cities. It showed that many of the “municipalities have seen double-digit year-over-year declines in 2023 homicides.” That includes “an 11% drop in New York City, a 16% decrease in Los Angeles, and a 13% reduction in Chicago.” They add that, “One of the largest drops in homicides occurred in Detroit, which as of Dec. 26 has seen murders fall by 18% since last year, according to the police department’s preliminary data.” It’s so great to see a double-digit decline in homicide rates in our own backyard. Let’s keep it up and keep our streets as safe as possible.
Michigan Laws Going Into Effect in 2024: Guns, Minimum Wage and More
Minimum wage
Beginning on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, the state of Michigan’s minimum wage will increase from $10.10 to $10.33. This change is thanks to Michigan’s Improved Workforce Opportunity Wage Act of 2018. That law resulted in an annual schedule of increases.
(Photo Illustration by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Prevailing Wage Act
This year, Gov. Whitmer signed a bill restoring a prevailing wage act. This bill means that Michigan-hired contractors are required to pay their employees at the union level.
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Teens in Michigan can pre-register to vote
Now, 16-year-old high school students in Michigan are able to pre-register to vote. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says, “This new law helps us prepare the next generation of voters to inherit their democracy, bolstering our state’s commitment to engaging young people, educating them about the democratic process, and getting them ready to cast a ballot once they turn 18.”
Teens can pre-register to vote. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
No more "right-to-work"
Michigan’s right-to-work law is being repealed. The state’s “right-to-work” law was passed over a decade ago. Michigan’s “right-to-work” law had enabled workers in union settings to choose not to pay union dues and fees.
(Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)
Expanded Elliot-Larsen Act
Earlier this year, Whitmer signed an expansion of the Elliot-Larsen Act. The act includes protection for those who are discriminated against due to sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. That’s includes those in the LGBTQ+ community.
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
No more third-grade reading law
Michigan’s third-grade reading law has been repealed. The original 2016 law made schools identify students who were struggling in reading and writing and hold them back a year if they were more than one grade level behind. Now, that requirement has lifted.
(Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
Michigan gun laws
New gun laws are here, and these were introduced into Lansing following the tragic shooting at Michigan State University. The House and Senate passed these bills, and Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed them. The new laws require safe storage (gun owners must lock their weapons away, if a minor is expected to be in the home), background checks (mandatory, no matter how you’re buying a firearm) and “red flag” (to cut down on possible violence for those who may have mental health problems or have threatened others).
(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Clean Energy & Climate Action Package
Gov. Whitmer recently signed the Clean Energy & Climate Action Package, with a plan to have Michigan 100% clean energy by 2040. If all goes as planned, the state will produce 100% of its energy from clean sources by 2024.
(Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
