Solano’s Crime Rate: Is It Increasing?

By Staff

From 2016 up until now, Solano County’s crime rate is rising increasingly. But the question is, why is nobody talking about it? In recent years, Solano County has experienced a disturbing surge in gun-related homicides, yet it’s not being talked about enough in our community. This is leading to prompting concerns about public safety, specifically in Vallejo and Fairfield.  Vacaville could be categorized in this too, crime in Vacaville usually comes from overflow of crimes in Fairfield. But, the crime rates are somewhat lower than Vallejo and Fairfield.  Like most cities in California, there are lots of economic disparities, unemployment rates, and homelessness. These elements play a significant role in crime prevalence. Individuals who experience these components may resort to criminal activities as a means of survival or financial gain. More agents that leave an indent on our communities’ youth are gang influence, drug/alcohol consumption, drug trades, and violence against each other. 

This upward trajectory in gun violence stands as a chilling reminder that despite advancements in wealthier cities in Solano County, nothing is being done about the communities that are in high-poverty. For example, let’s compare the Benicia School District to the Vallejo School District, since they are neighboring cities. You would expect them to have the same statistics since they’re in the exact same area, right? Incorrect, Benicia School District’s graduation rate is around 98%, being around 10% higher than the state average. Opposingly, Vallejo’s School System’s graduation rate is around 73%, being more than 10% below the state average. The cause of crimes in these high-poverty cities are most likely caused by our citizens’ upbringings.     

If education is referred to as the cornerstone of personal and societal development, why fail to provide quality education? Most children who go to high-poverty schools are limited opportunities for advancement, disengagement, limited exposure to positive role models, lack of conflict resolution skills, and dropout rates multiplying. The outcome of not shaping children’s futures could definitely lead to increasing crime rates. Of course there are plenty of other factors on why crime rates are increasing, but these are some of the key factors. In conclusion, Solano County’s high crime rate is a complex issue driven by a combination of economic, social, and systemic factors.