Conservatives love to blame high violent crime rates on progressives and their criminal justice reform efforts, especially in California, which is why the recently-released state report, “2021 Homicide in California,” from Attorney General Rob Bonta was such an eye-opening counter-narrative.
According to the report, among counties with populations of 100,000 or more, the three with the highest murder rates were Kern, Merced, and Tulare. The three with the lowest rates were Placer, San Luis Obispo, and Marin.
“The biggest risks for homicides came in conservative counties [in California] with iron-fist sheriffs and district attorneys,” places where progressives in power are nearly as common as monkeys riding unicorns,” wrote columnist Anita Chabria in the LA Times.
“It’s safe to say that none of these counties coddle their criminals.”
And while the number of reported homicides increased in 2021 by 7.2%, to 2,361, it remains “significantly below California’s historical high of 4,095 murders in 1993.” California’s governor in 1993 was Republican Pete Wilson.