Louisa Crime Trends

In a recent report from the Jefferson Area Community Criminal Justice Board (JACCJB), Louisa County showed a significant decline in the reported rates of Crimes Against Persons, Crimes Against Property, and Crimes Against Society, and was lower than all comparable counties in Virginia.  In the JACCJB report, for the years 2020-21, the number of crimes against property & society was the lowest since 2012. The complete report is here, or in the related documents.

Through the continued efforts of the Louisa County elected officials, citizens, and law enforcement, the County of Louisa has among the lowest reported crime rates throughout all the counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia, which also has among the lowest crime rates in the United States.    

In 2021, Louisa County’s Crimes Against Person rate were 7.1 per 1000 residents, compared to a 12.0 average rate of peer counties, and an 11.9 statewide rate.  

The Crimes Against Person rate in Louisa County was down 24%, twice the rate of decline observed statewide, so by comparison, nine Virginia counties (of comparable population size to Louisa County) averaged a modest 3% increase in Crimes Against Persons.

Louisa County's Crimes Against Person rate in 2021 ranked 119th among Virginia’s 133 jurisdictions, making it one of the safest counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

If the trend of crimes against persons wasn't sufficient, Crimes Against Property in Louisa County fell 44%, nearly twice the rate of drop for the Commonwealth of Virginia.  In 2021, Louisa County’s Crimes Against Property rate was 15.3 per 1000 residents, compared to a rate of 21.7 per 1000 for the average of peer counties and 25.9 per 1000 statewide. 

Louisa County’s Crimes Against Property rate in 2021 ranked 97th among Virginia’s 133 jurisdictions.

Throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Crimes Against Society rate per 1000 increased by 3% from 2012 to 2021, while the same rate in Louisa County dropped by 10%.  The Comparable counties in the Commonwealth saw an increase of 26% in Crimes Against Society, which was higher than the average statewide increase of 3%, contrary to the drop in Louisa County.  In 2021 Louisa's Crimes Against Society rate ranked 93rd among Virginia's 133 jurisdictions.

Overall the crime rate has trended downward by 36% in Louisa County over the past ten years, with decreases observed in five of the last seven years.  Decreases in the crime rate trend were observed in all three crime categories from 2012 to 2021 (Person, Property, and Society).

Louisa County’s crime rates have fallen more significantly over the past ten years, relative to other Virginia counties of comparable population size, and in 2021, were well below peer counties in all three crime categories.  With the collective efforts of the Louisa County elected officials, citizens, and law enforcement, the County of Louisa remains one of the safest counties to live in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and in the United States.