How Much Does Criminal Activity Cost Phoenix Residents?

Whether you’re a native or a relatively new Phoenix resident, you probably put a great deal of time into deciding which neighborhood you’d like to call home. Living downtown provides a wide variety of things to do and convenient access to the Light Rail. Quieter areas like Chandler and Gilbert are great places to settle down and raise a family. Scottsdale lets you glimpse into a life of luxury and watch rowdy drunk men in town for special events chase after bottle service girls. If you can afford to live in Paradise Valley, good for you. 

Regardless of the neighborhood you live in, you’ve probably noticed that crime is becoming more difficult to avoid. Experts estimate that crime will cost the greater Phoenix area $2.2 billion in 2025, or approximately $1,212 per household. As someone whose car was hit and run last year (thanks for nothing, MCSO!) and had to pay a $500 insurance deductible to get it fixed, this figure seems highly reasonable. Read on to learn more about the areas with the most crime in Phoenix and how it burdens all of us as taxpayers. If you find yourself on the wrong side of the law and need legal representation, contact our firm for your free consultation at 480-833-8000. 

Crime Grades

Phoenix ranks in the 40th percentile for safety in cities in the United States. In other words, Phoenix is safer than 40% of American cities, but more dangerous than 60% of other cities. If Phoenix were to be graded, it would receive a “C” on its report card for safety. The grade for violent crime is C-, for property crimes is D+, and for other crimes, like drug crimes, identity theft, etc., is B-. While C’s get degrees, that simply isn’t good enough for those of us who have watched housing prices skyrocket in the past few years. Crime costs Phoenix $434 per resident, and eats up 1% of the median household income. Crime also brings about intangible costs, such as pain and suffering experienced due to victimization. Using pain and suffering principles from injury claims, intangible crime costs in Arizona would be about $5 billion per year, or $1,035 per resident. 

Violent Crime

The violent crime rate in Phoenix is 3.699 incidents per 1,000 residents. Assault crimes are the most common, with 2.542 cases per 1,000 residents. Assault costs Phoenix $368.3 million annually through law enforcement, court costs, imprisonment, lost economic contribution from defendants, etc. This translates to $73 per year per Phoenix resident. Robbery (stealing from someone with threat or force) is the second most common violent crime in Arizona, with 0.5534 incidents per resident. Robbery costs Phoenix $87.8 million per year, or $17 per resident. The third is rape, at 0.5351 incidents per resident, although rape is a notoriously underreported crime, so this figure is likely much higher in actuality. Rape costs Phoenix $163.7 million per year, or $32 per resident. Murder is the least common but most serious type of violent crime, with 0.0685 incidents per 1,000 residents. Despite being the least common violent crime, it costs Phoenix the most- $649.5 million per year, or $129 per resident. That means that if you’re a law abiding, tax paying citizen, at least $251 of your hard-earned dollars are being spent on other people’s bad decisions and traumatization of others. 

Property Crime

The total rate of property crime in Phoenix is 17.24 per 1,000 residents. Theft crimes are the most common with 12.35 cases per 1,000 residents. Theft costs Phoenix $322.7 million per year, or $64 per resident. Vehicle theft is the second most common property crime with 2.632 cases per 1,000 residents. It costs Phoenix $205.7 million per year, or $41 per resident. There are 2.149 cases of burglary (breaking into someone’s home to steal or commit other crimes) per 1,000 residents in Phoenix per year. It costs the city $98.4 million, or $19 per resident. Phoenix has 0.1138 incidents of arson per 1,000 residents per year. It costs the city $13.9 million, or $3 per resident. 

The Costs Of Being Convicted Of A Criminal Offense

Taxpayers aren’t the only ones who come out of pocket when a defendant is convicted of a crime in Arizona. There are significant costs associated with a guilty verdict to a criminal offense, like:

• Fines: Most criminal defendants convicted of crimes are ordered to pay some form of financial penalty. Generally, fines will be lower for misdemeanors and less serious offenses, and higher for convictions in the felony range. If you’ve been accused of a crime, talk with your criminal defense attorney about whether you are facing a fine in the hundreds or thousands of dollars. 
• Restitution: Restitution is funds the defendant may be ordered to pay that are separate from fines. These are meant to restore the crime victim(s) rather than to dissuade further criminal activity or compensate the government for legal costs. Therefore, the amount of restitution ordered is based on the crime and the victim’s damages rather than the defendant’s financial situation. Restitution is also separate from any civil verdict a crime victim pursues against a defendant. A defendant generally must pay restitution in full before pursuing post-conviction relief. 
• Court fees: A defendant who is found to have the financial means can be ordered to pay various fees to mitigate government expenditures surrounding the case. Examples include public defender costs, jury fees, prosecution reimbursement, court administration fees, drug and alcohol screening fees, room and board fees for prison and jail, etc. 
• Course costs: There are several types of courses a defendant may be ordered to complete upon sentencing. For example, a judge may order a defendant convicted of reckless driving to complete a defensive driving course, or a defendant convicted of assault to complete an anger management course. There are usually fees associated with registering for these courses, and they could come with tangential costs like gas and parking. 
• Impound fees: With some vehicular offenses, such as Extreme or Super Extreme DUI, the police are required to impound the defendant’s vehicle for public safety reasons. If there is a mandatory hold on the vehicle, it can become quite expensive for the defendant to retrieve it when it becomes available. The impound lot can charge an administrative fee plus daily fees that add up quickly. 

Crime Doesn’t Pay. Fight Back Against Criminal Allegations With Our Arizona Legal Defense Team

Crime costs our state hundreds of millions of dollars per year, and Arizona pushes some of those costs back onto convicted defendants. If you’re convicted of a crime, you could owe the state and any victims of your offense thousands of dollars, making it that much harder to reenter society and live a successful life after being released from incarceration. Every member of our team is highly aware of just how costly a criminal conviction can be, and in more than just dollars. Our skilled defenders will put our knowledge and experience toward fighting for your rights and delivering the best outcome from a negative situation like a criminal prosecution. Want to discuss your case with a dedicated Arizona criminal defense lawyer? call 480-833-8000 to schedule your free consultation with My AZ Lawyers today.