PC: Fox 11 Online
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Crime reached historic lows nationwide in 2025, and much of Northeast Wisconsin followed that trend.
Appleton and Oshkosh both saw significant reductions in violent crime, including murder, rape and assaults. Green Bay had mixed results, with fewer overall offenses but increases in other areas, like crimes against persons, which include domestic violence incidents.
“It’s great to see those numbers, both in Appleton and regionally and nationally,” said Lt. John Ostermeier with the Appleton Police Department.
He believes it’s due, in part, to the department’s increased specialized services, which include specific officers dedicated to mental health, victim services and crime prevention.
2025 Appleton crime statistics:
- 0 murders in 2025
- Assaults down 20% from five-year average; 70 fewer than in 2024
- Larceny/theft down 36% from five-year average; 215 fewer incidents than in 2024
2025 Oshkosh crime statistics:
- Burglaries down 15%
- Destruction of property and vandalism down 35%
- Fraud down 35%
- Weapon violations (excluding fireworks) at their lowest rate since 2020
- Homicides down from five in 2024 to one in 2025
- Sex offenses up 22%
These crime rates follow nationwide trends. FBI data released last week showed the biggest nationwide year-over-year crime decrease since 1937.
- Murder down 18%
- Rape down 8%
- Robbery down 19%
- Aggravated assault down 7%
“It’s very likely that it will be the lowest homicide rate going back to at least 1900,” said Ernesto Lopez, senior research specialist with the Council on Criminal Justice. “And many of these other offenses are going to be at or around their lowest level since 1960.”
Lopez said the nationwide drop in violent crime is just continuing a trend since the mid-1990s. After a brief spike around 2020, crime is declining again. But even through his extensive research, he’s still looking for the factors on why crime is dropping.
“For instance, like drug markets, right? There’s some evidence that local drug markets across the U.S. have declined,” said Lopez. “How have those played a role? It’s taking a closer look at what could be going on.”
He also suggested better policing services, more targeted hot spot policing or other local government programs may make a difference.
One Wisconsin instructor with nearly 20 years of law enforcement experience believes officer training could also be a factor.
“There is a much greater focus on de-escalation tactics and exposing officers to ways to peacefully resolve situations and get to the root of things,” said Lakeshore College Criminal Justice Instructor Luke Deibele. “And also, a higher focus on resources available to officers and members of the community to hopefully discourage individuals from a path of criminality.”
Early nationwide trends from 2026 show crime is dropping even further to more historic levels, according to the Council on Criminal Justice.
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