Crime Rates in St Augustine

Are You Safer Today Than You Were 3 Years Ago?

As reported by most of the local news sources, arrests made by St. Johns County Sheriff’s Officers over the past year have consistently remained high, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reports have surfaced about domestic violence issues being chief among those crimes on the increase, but results for 2020 have not yet been released. In 2019, police arrested 624 individuals for domestic violence. Speculation exists that those numbers will increase due to the pandemic.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the number of St. Johns County arrests over the last 2 years have gone down slightly, with 2275 arrests in 2018, and 2185 in 2019. In the FDLE semi-annual report for January through June 2019, there was actually an 8.9% decrease in total crimes, with murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault crimes slightly up and larceny and motor vehicle theft arrests marginally down over the same time period from the previous year. This is not to report that criminal activity and subsequent arrests are not a significant factor of life here on the First Coast.  To the contrary, Florida, especially North Florida, is experiencing an influx of residents relocating from northern states, and with population growth usually comes an increase in criminal activity. So, the question remains, if you live in St. Johns County, are you actually safer today than you were 3 years ago, and will you remain that way in the upcoming year? As the current county population of 254,412 grows, police budget increases might take effect even in the face of dwindling tax revenues, due to COVID-19 effects on tourism and retail sales in the county.

One thing is absolutely clear, St. Johns County still enjoys a relatively low crime rate per capita and with some of this state’s best school systems and modest housing costs, remains one of the most desirable locations to relocate to. The oldest city in America, with its uncongested traffic, fairly- priced county tax rates, and beautiful, sandy white beaches is a very attractive location for many who are exiting northern states, riddled with problems and inhospitable winter weather.  

Criminal Defense Attorneys

If you have been arrested for a crime or are under investigation by the St. Johns County Sherriff’s Office, this is the time to seek out the most experienced and successful criminal defense attorneys available. Law enforcement and state attorneys remain aggressive, in light of their responsibility to apply the letter of the law and to reduce criminal activity in St. Johns County. Anyone arrested for any infraction of the law is subject to the full weight of these legal entities seeking convictions with stiff fines being imposed and the possibility of life-long repercussions. It is safe to say, that with so much riding on your criminal case, you need the very best criminal defense attorneys in St. Johns County on your side protecting your legal rights to a fair and just outcome. At Fallgatter Catlin & Varon, P.A. we specialize in criminal defense representation for any infraction of the law including DUI, sex offenses, drug possession, manslaughter, domestic violence, theft, and embezzlement. Curtis Fallgatter has been recognized as one of the most successful criminal defense attorneys in America. A former Federal Prosecutor with over 40 years of criminal law experience, Curtis has worked on almost every type of criminal law case. For the past 20 years, he has been in private criminal defense practice representing those accused of crimes. Lisa Varon has been practicing criminal defense law for over 25 years and is the former president of the Northeast Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Together, Curtis and Lisa are a formidable criminal defense team handling cases throughout North Florida. If you have been arrested do not face the St. John’s County prosecutor’s office without the most experienced legal defense team possible.  Give us a call for a free, no-obligation consultation at 904-353-5800 to discuss your legal rights, hear your side of the story, and present you with your best legal options. Our shared commitment is to protect your legal rights and obtain a fair and just outcome in your case.