NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released its 2022 Crime in Tennessee report, saying reports of dangerous crimes fell by double-digit percentages from 2021.
The TBI report is calculated using data reported to the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System.
“The TIBRS program continues to serve as a model for the nation and remains successful because of the continued cooperation by Tennessee’s law enforcement community,” TBI Director David Rausch said. “TBI remains committed to this effort and will continue to provide the training and technical assistance necessary to collect the most accurate and comprehensive crime statistics for Tennessee and its citizens.”
According to the TBI, reported murders, rapes and kidnappings each fell by more than 10% in 2022. Murder was down in Tennessee by more than 14%.
Most serious crimes against persons were down by 3% compared to the previous year. However, crimes against property were up by more than 3%.
In particular, the TBI said reported motor vehicle theft victims increased by nearly 27%, and the state saw a more than 77% rise in the number of blackmail and extortion victims since 2020. The number of reported victims of identity theft also increased by more than 25% from 2021.
In Knoxville, the total number of crimes KPD reported to TIBRS remained largely the same between 2021 and 2022, at more than 19,000, but saw fewer "Group A" offenses, which are the most serious crimes against people. KPD reported seven fewer murders in 2022.
When it came to arrests, KPD reported 244 juvenile arrests in 2022, which is the lowest that number has been reported in more than a decade. In 2021, KPD reported 421 juvenile arrests, and a decade ago, the 2012 report showed KPD reported nearly 1,000 juvenile arrests.
You can read the full report at this link.