Coronavirus. Recession. Hurricanes.

Events beyond our control can change our way of life unexpectedly — they even have the power to turn the criminal landscape upside down.

Here at Chappell, Lanehart & Stangl, we have our pulse on what to expect during these trying times and we are committed to doing everything possible to get the best outcome for our clients.

Let’s take a look at how pandemics, natural disasters and economic recessions affect crimes and whether they tend to increase or decrease as a result.

Crime & Coronavirus Pandemic

The overwhelming evidence so far during the coronavirus pandemic is that crime overall is decreasing nationwide.

In a large study by USA Today, police agencies reported less criminal activity since March 15, as many communities issued stay-at-home orders. Traffic stops are down up to 92 percent in some areas, leading to sharp decreases in drug offenses and DWIs.

Residential burglaries and robberies are also down because more people are home. And jail bookings fell at least a quarter since February.

Some of the decrease in crime can be attributed to police changing their policies during the coronavirus. For instance, some forces have been hard hit with the virus and are functioning with fewer officers. Others are purposely scaling back on arrests and giving citations instead to keep the virus from spreading in jails and prisons. For example, Lubbock’s jail population is at a 10-year low due to curbed enforcement.

But even as overall crime is down, domestic assault calls are spiking by up to 30 percent — including people citing COVID-19 as a condition of their abuse. And, also related directly to stay-at-home orders, police are responding to more public-nuisance calls, such as loud-music complaints from neighbors.

Additionally, even though home burglaries are down, some communities are seeing more thefts of cars and burglaries of businesses that have been sitting vacant during the pandemic.

Here are some of the crimes that seem to be growing during the pandemic:

• Domestic and family violence

• Burglary of businesses left vacant

• Hate crimes (especially against Asian Americans)

• Vehicle theft

• Financial fraud

• Price gouging

• Package theft

• Speeding

• Increase in opioid use and illegal drug use

• Assault on medical workers and police (usually through coughing, spitting or sneezing)

• Defying stay-at-home orders and public-gathering restrictions

Crime in Texas During the Pandemic

Many communities are following the national average of fewer crimes, but some are seeing a surge in more violent cases.

Here’s an overview at how the pandemic is panning out in several Texas cities:

AMARILLO

The police have received more than twice as many calls reporting domestic assault in the first week of April than in the last week of March.

AUSTIN

Although police counted a 9 percent decrease in overall crime in March and April compared with the same period last year, the city is seeing more violent crimes.

SAFE Alliance is reporting a 16 percent increase in domestic violence calls, and the Austin police booked 670 reports of family violence from March 13 to April 20.

Austin also saw an increase in homicides, robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries, arsons and auto thefts.

DALLAS-FORT WORTH

In Fort Worth, the police had 125 more domestic violence calls in the last two weeks of March than in the first two weeks.

Also in March, Dallas police reported that aggravated assault was up more than 38 percent. Business and residential burglaries were also up.

EL PASO

El Paso has seen a decrease in auto thefts, murder, burglary of a vehicle, sexual assault, robbery and larceny. Police are reporting a 4 percent increase in calls related to domestic violence, but many of those calls aren’t leading to actual cases.

HOUSTON

Houston is grappling with a 5-year high in murder cases. This year, Harris County homicides are up 48 percent, and drug-related homicides are up 49 percent. Police say the pandemic might have disrupted usual drug activity, in turn leading to more violence.

Additionally, Houston police counted a 29 percent increase in burglary of building cases since the March stay-at-home orders were given. Aggravated assaults are also up 9 percent, and domestic violence is up 1.3 percent.

LUBBOCK

Police have been curtailing arrests to limit COVID-19 exposure, and as a result the city is seeing fewer reported crimes.

From March 17 to April 23, domestic violence assaults and property crimes were down, but homicide rates are up for the entire year.

SAN ANTONIO

San Antonio saw an 18% increase in domestic violence calls this March compared with March 2019. Meanwhile, car burglaries and DWI arrests are down.

WACO

Waco police reported that domestic violence cases and car break-ins are up. Home burglaries, DWIs and aggravated assault are down.

Crime & Economic Recessions

What will happen as we head into a new recession as a result of the coronavirus pandemic? Will there be more crime?

Not necessarily.

Many assume that crime rates would go up in an economic downturn. Historically, robbery and property crime rates — and sometimes even homicide and assault rates — tend to rise during recessions and fall during recoveries.

This isn’t always the case, though. Going back in time to the end of the Great Depression, crime rates fell one-third between 1934 and 1938.

And when the Great Recession hit in early 2008, crime rates fell even steeper from 2007-2010 than they did in previous years — most notably murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, auto theft, burglary and larceny theft.

Crime & Natural Disasters

And while we’re weathering a pandemic and an emerging recession, we’re also looking hurricane season in the eye.

One of the most crime-free days in Houston history happened on Aug. 27, 2017 — the third and most harrowing day of Hurricane Harvey.

Police wrote exactly 50 reports, down from the average 300 they usually wrote. For the duration of the storm, major crime was down about 22 percent. Major crime includes aggravated assault, auto theft, robbery, theft, rape and murder.

The nature of hurricanes can make them crime deterrents for several reasons, most obviously because it’s more difficult to get around in flooded streets.

However, crime rose sharply in two areas: burglaries (looting) and domestic violence.

Motivated by events that occurred during Harvey, Texas in 2019 enacted tougher penalties for crimes committed in a disaster or evacuation area — including arson, burglary of vehicles and criminal trespass.

We’re Weathering the Storms With You

At Chappell, Lanehart & Stangl we are closely monitoring the coronavirus pandemic and other disruptions like the looming economic crisis and hurricane season. In these unusual times, maintaining public safety and a fair and balanced criminal justice system is critical to Texans.

To keep you safe from virus exposure, we are available for phone consultations and Zoom video conferences for court proceedings and client questions. Contact our office today to set up your free consultation.