California's homicide rate fell to its lowest point since 1966, with murders declining 18.6% from 2024 to 2025, according to the latest statewide crime figures.
The broad decline extends across major crime categories, the state said. Robbery fell 19.9%, violent crime fell 10.2%, property crime fell 14.3%, and motor vehicle theft fell 25.8% during the same period.
Gov. Gavin Newsom highlighted the figures during a visit to San Quentin Rehabilitation Center to attend the nation's first in-prison film festival. He credited a public safety strategy combining law enforcement and accountability with crime prevention, victim support, rehabilitation and pathways to successful reentry. "California's strategies are making communities safer — and the data proves it — with crime rates at their lowest in modern history," Newsom said.
Since Newsom took office, homicide has declined 20%, robbery 31%, property crime 24%, and motor vehicle theft 19%, while violent crime has declined 3%, the state said.
California's rehabilitation programs show high success rates. Among people released after earning Rehabilitation Achievement Credits, 81.5% remained conviction-free for three years; for those earning Educational Merit Credits, the figure was 76.7%, and for general rehabilitative programming, 66.7%. Of those released after a parole hearing, 97.5% did not reoffend.
The state has significantly expanded education in its prison system. All 30 state correctional institutions offer community college distance or correspondence courses, and bachelor's degree programs are available at 12 institutions. At San Quentin, 34 students began a Cal State LA bachelor's degree program in Liberal Studies in August. To date, incarcerated students have earned 9,966 associate degrees, 451 bachelor's degrees and 48 master's degrees.
California has directed $546.8 million toward public safety efforts since 2019, including the California Violence Intervention and Prevention grant program and victim services. Research on Richmond's Peacemaker Fellowship found the program was associated with a 61% reduction in fatal and nonfatal firearm assaults from 2010 to 2024.