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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Suffolk County District Attorney reported that the city of Boston had a record-low homicide rate in 2023, along with a reduction in overall shootings.
The DA’s office reported that there were 37 murders across the city in 2023, which resulted in an almost 70% arrest rate and a 92% conviction rate.
The total number of shootings, both fatal and non-fatal, also decreased in 2023 by around 20%.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden pointed to community engagement along with the “professional and tireless” work by Boston police as contributing to this reduction in crime.
In a press release from the DA’s office, Hayden said, “This is a heartening story of increased cooperation and participation by members of our community and top-notch work by Boston police officers and homicide detectives, all combining to provide a slice of positive news in relation to this most terrible of crimes.”
Hayden added that “no one is taking any victory laps here, especially when serious crime still disproportionately affects our communities of color, but it’s important to point out promising trends.”
The DA also pointed to the 2023 homicide rates in other cities with similar population sizes to Boston, like Washington, D.C., with 274 homicides and Baltimore with 259 homicides.
Hayden emphasized that there are still issues facing the city. “Gun-related violence remains a public health crisis in our communities of color and is a problem rooted in racial inequity locally and nationally. But perspective is also important, and looking at what’s happening in other cities of similar size gives Bostonians the ability to take pride in our community while we strive for even better outcomes,” said Hayden.
WBZ's Jim MacKay (@JimMacKayOnAir) reports.
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