HOUSTON – For years, avid runner Juan Sorto had to drive miles away from his northeast Houston home to River Oaks or Memorial Park to train for marathons.
“It was unsafe for me to go out and run in the mornings,” Sorto said. “But the last year or so, last few months I should say, I feel kind of safe to run around my neighborhood without the fear of getting shot.”
It isn’t just Sorto’s perception. The data shows violent crimes across Harris County are down.
The Texas Department of Public Safety shows between 2021 and 2022, Houston police numbers show murders down from 464 in 2021 to 429 the next year. Rape is at 1,105 down from 1,171.
In Katy, there were five fewer murders in 2022 compared to 2021, 13 and 18 respectively.
“I like the direction that we’re going in,” said Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers of Houston. “Do we have a lot more work that we need to be doing? Absolutely but at least we’re going in that direction.”
The trend is different when you look at other crimes.
Robbery, auto theft, and larceny are up.
“It’s very interesting because when I’m out, I feel safe but when I come back to my house, which is my castle, that’s where the perception changes,” Sorto said.
“What we’re seeing is what, theft, some of the other property crimes. I think a lot of it is how we’re handling defendants who are charged with these crimes. When you classify so-called non-violent crimes, they’re the ones getting out on the PR bonds,” Kahan said. “They’re the ones we’re seeing are being repeatedly committing additional crimes while on bond but because they’re classified as non-violent, they’re just getting a revolving door at the courthouse.”
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