Washington’s Dark Streets in 1990

In 1990, Washington state was plagued by rising crime rates, with violent crimes seeing a sharp increase. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program, which collects crime data from over 17,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide, the state’s violent crime rate rose by nearly 10% compared to the previous year.

At the time, the U.S. was in the grip of a crime wave, with violent crimes such as murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault on the rise nationally. The 1980s had seen a significant increase in crack cocaine use, which was linked to a surge in violent crimes, particularly in urban areas. In Washington state, the emergence of street gangs and the growth of the crack trade contributed to the rising crime rates.

The FBI’s UCR program reported that the overall crime rate in the U.S. had increased by 14.2% in 1990 compared to the previous year. Washington state’s crime rate was higher than the national average, with a violent crime rate that was 15% above the national average.

Property crimes, such as burglary and larceny, also saw an increase in Washington state in 1990. The FBI reported that the state’s property crime rate rose by 8% compared to the previous year, with a significant spike in burglaries.

As the crime wave continued to sweep the nation, law enforcement agencies in Washington state struggled to keep pace. The rise in violent crimes and property crimes put a strain on already overburdened police departments, leading to calls for increased funding and resources to combat the growing crime problem.