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FACT BRIEF

Have some violent crimes risen during Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers's tenure?

By Jacob Alabab-Moser
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YES

Homicide and aggravated assault in Wisconsin rose between 2018—the year before Gov. Tony Evers took office—and 2021, although the rates of rape and robbery in the state did not. Between 2019 and 2021, homicides rose by 70% — reaching 315 in 2021.

Increasing violent crime in Wisconsin—especially in homicides and aggravated assault—mirrored nationwide trends.

Homicides in Milwaukee have been especially high, with the numbers for 2020 and 2021 breaking records for the city. Law enforcement experts have linked these levels to some possible factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, more people carrying firearms and increased tensions between the police and communities.

The rates of homicide in Milwaukee continued to increase in the first half of 2022, rising to 110 as of June 30, while those of other violent crimes decreased, according to the Milwaukee Police Department.

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Wisconsin Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data show increases in homicide and aggravated assault but decreases in other categories.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Wisconsin Department of Justice Statewide offense trends over time
PBS Wisconsin Total number of police in Wisconsin, already at historic lows, continues to drop in 2022
Los Angeles Times On the front lines of the US homicide epidemic: Milwaukee faces historic violence
Wisconsin Public Radio Wisconsin had 315 homicides last year. That's a 70 percent increase from 2019.
Council on Criminal Justice Update: Pandemic, social unrest, and crime in US cities
CBS58 Milwaukee Police Department releases 2022 mid-year crime review
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Wisconsin Watch
Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.