Main crimes like homicide and armed theft are down in Massachusetts, in line with a preliminary state evaluation. However hate crimes towards Jewish individuals lately noticed a 20.5% spike.
“This new data is encouraging and reflects the important work that law enforcement and community partners do day in and day out to keep the people of Massachusetts safe,” stated Gov. Maura Healey. “We know there is always more work to be done, and we remain committed to bringing people together to continue to enhance public safety in communities across the state.”
The numbers
All “Part One” crimes have been down in 2024, with a mean lower of 4.4% in comparison with 2023, in line with preliminary statistics knowledgeable by knowledge compiled by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) and Nationwide Incident-Primarily based Reporting System applications.
That constructive statistical tumble was led by main decreases in each motorcar theft — which declined 16.1% in 2024 from 2023 — and homicide and non-negligent murder — which declined 11.4%.
These have been adopted by an 8.6% lower in each robberies and burglaries, a 5.7% lower in aggravated assault, a 1.8% lower in forcible rape and a 1.5% lower in larceny.
These crimes have been down not simply compared to 2023, but additionally bucked five-year tendencies: the 132 homicides in 2024 evaluate favorably to the five-year common of 146 in addition to the 149 seen in 2023.
Firearm-specific crimes have been additionally down by even bigger numbers: a 21.8% lower in legal murder with a firearm, a 15.8% lower in theft with a firearm, an 11.9% lower in weapon legislation violations and a ten.7% lower in aggravated assault with a firearm.
The state says it added a “gunshot wound” descriptor to incident submissions to NIBRS to raised monitor firearm offenses.
Hate crimes expanded
Whereas Massachusetts had a rosy yr in 2024 statistically, it was nonetheless affected by general crime tendencies nationally, together with an increase in shoplifting. The state additionally reported a major improve in hate crimes, with the most important bounce — a large 20.5% improve — in hate crime incidents towards Jews.
The Healey administration says that that is the primary time since monitoring started in 1991 that anti-Jewish hate crimes in Massachusetts surpassed these towards Black individuals.
The New England Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish civil rights group that combats antisemitism, says that antisemitic incidents have been up not solely in Massachusetts, however region-wide — breaking the report for a fifth consecutive yr. These figures monitor incidents all through New England, excluding Connecticut: Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
The bounce coincided with Hamas’ terrorist assault on Israel in October 2023 and Israel’s retaliatory battle towards Hamas, which continues in the present day.
The ADL tracked greater than 600 incidents in each 2023 and 2024 — a large improve in comparison with the 204 seen in 2022 and the 155 in 2021. That included 407 documented instances of harassment in 2023 and 412 in 2024, 204 instances of vandalism in 2023 and 221 in 2024, in addition to 12 assaults in 2023 and 5 in 2024.
Massachusetts contributed the overwhelming majority of these numbers, with 438 incidents throughout 108 cities and cities within the state, in line with the ADL knowledge. These incidents included 157 situations of vandalism, 132 situations of verbal or written harassment or menace, and 115 situations of antisemitic gatherings or conferences. The ADL experiences that in 87 instances a swastika — the image of the Nazi Celebration — was current.
That makes the Bay State fifth within the nation for anti-Jewish hate crimes. New York noticed the very best charges at 1,437 incidents that yr, California adopted with 1,345, then New Jersey’s 719 and Pennsylvania’s 465.
“The persistent increase in antisemitic incidents over the past five years is a stark reminder that antisemitism continues to impact our communities,” stated ADL New England Regional Director Samantha Joseph. “Particularly concerning is the continued proliferation of extremist incidents and the rise of attacks against Orthodox Jews. The alarming manifestations of antisemitism in 2024 instill fear and are reminders that much work remains to be done.”
The methods
The state Govt Workplace of Public Security and Safety attributed the decline to “targeted investments” throughout youth applications, neighborhood prevention and police-community outreach. In line with that workplace, Healey’s administration spent greater than $45 million on such applications.
That included $15.5 million in safety grants for what the administration calls “high-risk nonprofits,” statewide academic boards and seminars for legislation enforcement and religion organizations.
The rise in hate crimes, nevertheless, obtained particular consideration.
The Healey administration in November 2023 launched the Hate Crimes Consciousness and Response Workforce, or HART, which it describes as a unit of 4 to 5 sworn State Police troopers “dedicated to enhancing federal, state and local partnerships and liaising with community leaders to strengthen statewide response to hate crimes and hate-based incidents.” The initiative included $461,920 in grant funding towards hate crime prevention applications in colleges.
Boston
As Massachusetts’ largest metropolis by far — with a Census-estimated inhabitants of 673,458 on July 1 — Boston is a major driver of state crime statistics.
This yr is shaping as much as be bloodier than in previous years. As of June 29, the most recent knowledge from the Boston Police Division, town noticed 16 complete homicides up to now this yr in comparison with six over the identical interval in 2024. This compares to a 14.8 common throughout 5 years.
Rape and tried rape are comparable, with 88 reported up to now in 2025 in comparison with 90 over the identical interval final yr and a five-year common of 101.
There have been 350 recorded robberies and tried robberies up to now this yr in comparison with 399 final yr and a 393.8 common. Home assault is nearly equal to final yr, with 446 in comparison with 445 final yr towards a 431.6 common. Non-domestic assault is method down, with 682 recorded situations this yr in comparison with 797 final yr on an 806.2 common.
Picture By Matt Stone/Boston Herald
Colonel Geoffrey Noble speaks after being sworn into the Massachusetts State Police final October as Gov. Maura Healey, left, and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll look on. (Picture By Matt Stone/Boston Herald)
Nancy Lane/Boston Herald
Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox speaks in March whereas flanked by different state and native legislation enforcement leaders together with Massachusetts State Police chief Col. Geoffrey Noble, at far proper. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)
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