Tennessee saw a slight overall increase in reported instances of crime in 2017, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's "Crime in Tennessee" report released Friday.
Each year, the TBI compiles data reported from every law enforcement agency in the state through the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System or TIBRS.
The report found increases in reported murders, rape offenses, and drug and narcotic violations from 2016 to 2017. There was a 6.7 percent increase in reported murders, 3.2 percent increase in reported rapes, and a 4.9 percent increase for narcotic violations.
The number of individuals arrested in connection to reported crimes decreased by 0.1 percent from 2016 to 2017. Juveniles accounted for 6.4 percent of all arrests, which was down from 6.5 percent in 2016.
The number of DUI arrests continued to trend downward in the past year.
The TBI crime reporting system has been in place for more than 15 years.
“We’re extremely thankful for our dedicated law enforcement partners,” said TBI Director Mark Gwyn. “Together, they helped us compile a thorough snapshot of crime in Tennessee. We now hope every department takes this information and works to further address the key crime issues facing their communities and our state.”
According to the TBI, there are 532 reporting agencies in the state of Tennessee. And, for the second consecutive year, all agencies in Tennessee are compliant with TIBRS reporting. Tennessee is one of 16 states reporting 100 percent compliance