The level of crime is a significant factor affecting the quality of life in a community. Incidence of crimes and assaults not only pose an economic burden, but also erode our sense of community by creating fear, frustration and instability. Occurrence of child abuse and or neglect is extremely damaging to the child and increases the likelihood of drug abuse, poor education performance and criminality later in life. Research has also linked adverse childhood experiences, such as child abuse and or neglect, to poor health outcomes including heart disease, depression, and liver and sexually transmitted diseases. Safety for the community starts with safety for children in our homes.

The rate of child abuse cases in Silicon Valley edged up in 2011, after declining over the previous three years. Nearly four cases per 1,000 children were reported in the region, a 22 percent increase over the previous year. At the same time, the number of social service employees in the region has consistently declined since hitting a peak of roughly 1,130 in 2002. The rate of child abuse cases in the state has steadily fallen over the past decade and the trend continued in 2011, as the state reported a two percent drop in the number of child abuse cases per 1,000 children.

Felony offenses continue to decline in Silicon Valley and California, following a downward trend since 2007. In 2010, the rate of Silicon Valley juvenile felony offenses dropped 12 percent, falling below adults offenses in the region with 801 cases per 100,000 juveniles. While Silicon Valley juvenile and adult felony cases and juvenile cases in the state remain on par, California adult cases continue to be set apart. Adult felony cases have decreased at a slower rate than juvenile cases over the past decade. In Silicon Valley, juvenile cases decreased 48 percent, while adult cases decreased 27 percent.

Since reaching a high in 2005, adult felony drug offenses have consistently declined, reporting a historic low of 304 offenses per 100,000 Silicon Valley adults in 2010. The number of drug and rehabilitation clients have followed suit, dropping a substantial 20 percent in 2010, while increasing overall numbers to roughly 9,380 in 2011. Approaching 2000 levels, the juvenile felony drug rate inched up to 152 offenses per 100,000 juveniles in 2010. Rehabilitation clients jumped 13 percent to a decade high of 1,328 in the same year. Rehabilitation entrance numbers slowed in 2011 to just under 1,250 patients. Over the long term, rehabilitation clients have expanded 65 percent as drug offenses declined eight percent.

The assault rate continues to climb in Silicon Valley for both genders, while falling in the rest of the state. However, the number of cases remains lower in the region, with 149 cases per 100,000 females compared to 208 in the rest of the state and 279 cases per 100,000 males compared to 438 in the rest of the state.

• Child Abuse
• Felony Offenses
• Adult Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation Clients
• Juvenile Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation Clients
• Assault Cases