Colorado's House Minority Leader Rep. Hugh McKean published an open letter calling for his fellow legislators to make Colorado's uptick in crime a priority when assessing bills this upcoming legislative session.

His plea comes after a recent Federal Bureau of Investigation report showed that Colorado's violent crime index just hit a 25-year high. Data that the legislator included in their open letter also showed that non-violent property crime is on the rise in the state as well.

What crimes have seen the most significant increase in Colorado?

The legislator cited the Colorado Bureau of Investigation's 2020 crime statistics when asserting that crime has increased in the state. Some of the violent crimes with the most significant increases include:

• Homicide: There's been a 29% increase statewide. There's been a 51% increase in the Denver metro area alone.
• Aggravated assaults: These criminal offenses have increased by over 18% since 2019.
• Other violent crimes: There was a 6.5% increase in these offenses between 2019 and 2020.

The incident rates of non-violent crimes that saw the most significant increases between 2019 and 2020 were:

• Motor vehicle theft: This crime increased by 38.6% between 2019 and 2020.
• Property crimes: There was a 10.4% increase in these between 2019 and 2020.

The legislator cites initiatives such as the "Defund the Police" one as partially responsible for the uptick in crime rates during this time frame along with legislation that prioritized criminal rights over victims' rights and public safety. He then cited legislation that shaved off prison time and reduced bail in justifying his position.

There will likely be increased patrols aimed at curbing crime if this legislator gets his way. This will likely result in an uptick in arrests. If you find yourself facing an arrest for a felony or any other crime, make sure that you protect your rights and your future by learning more about all your defense options.