(The Center Square) – Major crimes declined in 2021 after a spike in 2020, according to the “Crime in South Dakota 2021” report released by the attorney general’s office.
Nineteen people were murdered in the state in 2021, down from 35 in 2021. Sixteen murders were reported in 2019.
Fifty-one fewer rapes were reported in 2021 than in 2020, and 37 fewer arsons were reported. Aggravated assaults dropped from 2,462 in 2020 to 2,101 in 2021.
Kidnappings declined from 160 in 2020 to 140 in 2021.
Negligent homicides increased from 12 in 2020 to 22 in 2021. Negligent homicides include “killings resulting from hunting accidents, gun cleaning, children playing with guns, and arrests associated with driving under the influence, distracted driving (using a cell/smartphone) and reckless driving traffic fatalities,” according to the report.
Of the 38,160 South Dakotans arrested in 2021, 15,210 were charged with serious offenses that include murder, sexual offenses, assault, drug charges, prostitution, kidnapping, burglary, theft-related crimes and possession of pornography or obscene material, according to the report.
“Criminal statistics are an indispensable asset to aid in identifying trends in criminal activity,” said Chad Mosteller, interim director of the Division of Criminal Investigation “…that helps law enforcement officers and agencies in their efforts to keep South Dakota communities safe.”
More than 91% of South Dakota’s law enforcement agencies provided data for the statewide report.
