San Francisco, CA

How San Francisco is lowering crime rates

Published

8 months ago

May 2, 2025

How San Francisco is lowering crime rates

San Francisco has boomed in many ways over the past two decades, but while the city has become a hub for tech talent and entrepreneurship, it has also gained a negative reputation for a high crime rate.

That is, until the past year, when the city saw a staggering drop in reported crime, which is continuing in 2025.

The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) reported that in 2024, homicides in the city fell by 31.4 percent, rapes fell by 2 percent and robbery fell by 21.8, compared to 2023.

Additionally, assaults fell by 6.3 percent, burglary and larceny theft fell by 9.9 and 35 percent, respectively, and arson fell by 20.6 percent in the same time period.

The start of 2025 also appears to be promising in terms of falling crime. SFPD data shows that homicides between January 1 and April 14, compared to the same time period in 2024, fell by 55.6 percent.

That comparative time period also saw rapes fall by 34.2 percent, robberies by 21.2 percent, assaults by 7.3, burglaries by 42.1 percent, larceny-theft by 30.4 and arson by 29.7 percent.

The statistics cover a smaller period of time, meaning the percentage difference may appear larger than the numerical difference between crimes.

San Francisco District Attorney (DA) Brooke Jenkins spoke with Newsweek about the methods being used by her office and San Francisco law enforcement to reduce crime in the city.

Main: A “Prevent Crime” sign on a sidewalk in San Francisco. Inset: San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins.

Main: Ringo Chiu/Main: Associated Press, Inset: San Francisco District Attorney’s Office

“When I was appointed district attorney, we had a complete shift in the way that my office was doing the work and in the partnerships that we had,” Jenkins said. “Particularly with the San Francisco Police Department, but also with our other state and federal law enforcement agencies. Those are partnerships that were very strained, if not nonexistent, before I took over, and so that was a big priority for me.”

Jenkins explained that improving the partnerships between the DA’s office and law enforcement has allowed them to improve court accountability, as she had seen a pattern of people being accused of crimes but not being held accountable.

Without “adequate and appropriate consequences” crime would not be deterred in the city, Jenkins said. However, “we can’t prosecute if the ground-level agencies aren’t doing the work and making the arrest,” she said. “We needed to have a strong partnership, really, to motivate and incentivize them to do more. And we’ve been able to really develop that.”

The collaboration between the offices looks like having regular meetings between the DA and the SFPD, making sure that police are aware of the evidence they need to be gathering at a crime scene so they meet the burden of proof at trial, and Jenkins “giving them praise very publicly because they need to feel encouraged and [that] people see the work that they’re doing and how hard they are working.”

Jenkins spoke specifically about drug arrests. She told Newsweek that San Francisco is perceived as having a permissive drug culture, as there are many people who were able to do drugs openly on the street in the city for many years.

Her office, in conjunction with law enforcement, has been increasing arrests for drug dealing, which Jenkins said may be classified as a non-violent crime but “begets violence” in the form of turf wars, robberies and assault.

When it comes to drugs in the city in particular, Jenkins recognized that they cannot be dealt with purely by carceral means.

“I think one of the largest issues that we face in San Francisco is both the unhoused, the homelessness issue,” she said. “Many of those individuals are addicted to drugs, particularly right now, fentanyl.

“And so there is a lot that we are trying to do to get in front of the law enforcement involvement, to try to route these individuals into treatment, to get them incentivized to engage in treatment.”

Jenkins explained that her office has the opportunity to send drug offenders to collaborative, noncriminal, courts to address their mental health, substance abuse or other struggles in order to get them placed in treatment centers as opposed to prison.

“We do really try to make sure that we address the underlying issue that somebody is facing, both before they enter the criminal justice system and have contact with law enforcement,” Jenkins said.

Unhoused people in San Francisco on December 1, 2023.

SOPA Images Limited/Alamy Live News via AP

This is an effort that has not gone unnoticed by social justice groups in San Francisco.

GLIDE, a social justice organization in the city dedicated to combating poverty and systemic injustice, spoke with Newsweek about the city’s new strategy toward crime.

“The shifting public safety landscape has brought both opportunities and complexities to our work: fewer reported crimes can create a safer environment for our clients and staff, but higher arrest rates, depending on how they are applied, can also increase the vulnerability of marginalized populations,” GLIDE said. “We remain committed to offering services that focus on stability, healing, reentry and empowerment.”

Speaking about collaborative courts, GLIDE said: “We have indeed seen greater efforts to divert individuals with substance use issues into treatment-focused programs rather than punitive systems.

“Programs like collaborative courts and pretrial diversion are important steps toward recognizing addiction as a health issue, not solely a criminal one.”

They explained that approaches such as collaborative courts align with evidence showing that pathways to recovery in the form of support and harm-reduction resources, as well as access to health care and social services, are more positively impactful than incarceration.

Another method the DA’s office and law enforcement have been using to crack down on crime is increasing surveillance in the city.

“We were a city that prioritized privacy over enforcement,” Jenkins said.

How San Francisco Is Lowering Crime Rates

Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty

Jenkins said that, ironically, although much surveillance tech is created in San Francisco, it was not used by the city’s law enforcement until a public ballot measure passed in 2024 allowing the police to increase its surveillance methods.

Some of the surveillance tools now being used by police are license plate scanners to track stolen cars, increased filming of “troubled locations,” and drones for assisting police in tracking suspects after fleeing a scene.

Jenkins said they identify “troubled locations” using community feedback, aggregate data from prior arrests and 911 calls.

GLIDE said that although they recognize that surveillance tools with appropriate oversight can be used as public safety tools, “we are also mindful that increased surveillance technologies can sometimes have unintended consequences for already marginalized groups, particularly people of color, people experiencing homelessness, and individuals living with substance use disorder or mental health issues.

“It is critical that any use of surveillance tech comes with strong transparency, community input and strict protections to prevent misuse or over-policing of vulnerable communities. Trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve is vital, and any technology must support—not undermine—that trust.”

When it comes to the future of law enforcement in the city, Jenkins said: “We want to be fair. We want to have due process. We want to route people to the sources of help that they need appropriately. But we cannot abandon rules, and I think, to the extent that we continue to enforce rules, cities across our state in our country will be in better shape.”

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Philadelphia Eagles to play San Francisco 49ers in NFL playoffs. Here’s what you need to know.

Published

5 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

Philadelphia Eagles to play San Francisco 49ers in NFL playoffs. Here’s what you need to know.

The Philadelphia Eagles will begin the playoffs against the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round next weekend at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Birds (No. 3 seed) had a chance to earn the No. 2 seed with a win, but lost to the Washington Commanders in the regular season finale.

Here’s what you need to know about the matchup vs. the 49ers and more.

Which day will the Eagles and 49ers play?

The date and time of the wild-card round matchup between the Eagles and 49ers have yet to be announced, but playoff games are scheduled for Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Two games will take place Saturday, three will happen Sunday and the final first-round matchup will be on Monday night.

Eagles and 49ers postseason history

The Eagles and 49ers have only met twice in postseason history, most recently in the NFC championship game in the 2022 season.

The Eagles won that game, 31-7, before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. In that game, the 49ers were decimated at quarterback as Brock Purdy and Josh Johnson suffered injuries.

After Johnson exited, Purdy returned to the game in the third quarter, but he was unable to throw the football beyond a few yards. The injuries to San Francisco’s quarterbacks led to the NFL approving a rule change that allows teams to play an emergency quarterback if the starter and backup are injured.

The Eagles are 1-1 vs. San Francisco all-time in the playoffs. Philadelphia’s loss to the 49ers in the playoffs happened in the wild-card round in 1996.

The title game in the 2022 season between the Eagles and 49ers started a rivalry that boiled over into 2023.

In 2023, the 49ers traveled to Lincoln Financial Field in Week 13 and dominated the Eagles, 42-19. The loss started the infamous collapse for the Eagles to end the season as the Birds lost six of the final seven games, including the playoff exit vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The loss to the Niners in the 2023 season also featured Eagles security chief Dom DiSandro and then-49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw being ejected from the game after a scuffle on the sideline.

The Eagles and 49ers haven’t played each other since the 2023 season.

How the Eagles and 49ers got here

The Eagles went 11-6 in the 2025 season and won the NFC East for the second consecutive year, which ended a 20-year stretch of the division not having a repeat winner.

The Niners had a chance to earn the No. 1 seed, but fell to the Seattle Seahawks Saturday night. The 49ers finished the year with a 12-5 record to earn the No. 6 seed.

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San Francisco, CA

What is next for San Francisco 49ers and who to root for Week 18

Published

17 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

What is next for San Francisco 49ers and who to root for Week 18

With a loss against the Seattle Seahawks, the San Francisco 49ers officially lost the one seed and a chance at a bye week. They will be playing next week, but it’s not quite determined who they will play and when. A few games on Sunday will determine this.

Who the San Francisco 49ers will play in the Wild Card Round

The 49ers will either be the five or six seed. They will be the five if the Los Angeles Rams lose to the Arizona Cardinals. However, if the Rams beat the Cardinals, the 49ers will be the sixth seed in the NFC.

A few notable starters, such as Davante Adams and Kevin Dotso,n will be out, but Matthew Stafford is going to play, and he is competing for the MVP. Arizona has not won a game in a few months their front office would like to lose for draft pick purposes and they are heavy underdogs in this game.

The most likely outcome is that the Rams will be the fifth seed and they will get to face the NFC South winner. Meanwhile, the Bears will take on one of the Philadelphia Eagles or Chicago Bears. While the 49ers beat the Bears and lost to the Bucs, most fans would rather see the Bucs, so the 49ers will be rooting for the Cardinals, even if that is unlikely.

Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Chicago plays the Detroit Lions, and if they win, they will get the two-seed. That would mean that the Philadelphia Eagles will host the 49ers in the Wild Card Round. If the Bears lose and the Eagles win, the 49ers would head to Chicago to take on the Bears.

Then, if the Bears and Eagles lose, the 49ers would head to Philadelphia. Philadelphia is taking on the Washington Commanders, and they have not won in about as long as the Cardinals. They are also looking at starting Josh Johnson again this week, which should ensure one more loss.

So, with the Rams and Eagles being near locks to win, it will come down to the Bears. The Lions are not bottom dwellers like the other two, and we know Dan Campbell will play to beat the Bears.

Detroit is not quite a playoff team, but they can compete with any playoff team, so they could end up giving Chicago a run for their money. 49ers fans are going to want Detroit to show up and play well. While it is not easy to beat a team twice, with the second being in their home, they would like to avoid the Eagles, who have a defense that can compare to Seattle. We saw what happened against that type of defense.

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San Francisco, CA

SF 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks preview: Race for the NFC’s No. 1 seed

Published

1 day ago

January 3, 2026

Press Room

SF 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks preview: Race for the NFC’s No. 1 seed

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The last time the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks met in the regular season with the NFC West on the line, an epic battle came down to a single yard.

It was the last game of the 2019 season. Then-Niners linebacker Dre Greenlaw stopped Seahawks tight end Jacob Hollister short of the goal line as time expired, sending San Francisco to a 26-21 win and the NFC West division crown, the NFC’s No. 1 seed, a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. The 49ers would then go on a postseason run, but lose in Super Bowl LIV against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Six years later, a lot has changed for the 49ers and Seahawks — who square off again Saturday night at Levi’s Stadium (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) — but not the stakes.

The Seahawks (13-3) enter the game in first place of the NFC West and on a six-game winning streak. A win or tie would lock them in for top spot in the division and the conference. They have an NFL-best 14-2 road record since 2024 under coach Mike Macdonald.

The 49ers (12-4) are also on a six-game winning streak — and a seventh would pull them even with the Seahawks in overall record. They’d claim the NFC West crown and No. 1 seed by virtue of a 2-0 record against Seattle.

49ers fans, players gearing up for major rivalry game against Seahawks airing on ABC7

Back in Week 1, the Niners went to Seattle and escaped with a win in the closing moments. Since then, these teams have taken decidedly different paths to the same destination.

Seattle has emerged as one of the league’s most complete teams, led by the second-best scoring defense in the NFL. The Niners have been the opposite, carving a path to the postseason on the strength of a high-octane offense that ranks fifth in offensive points per game and first since Week 9.

Add it all up and the expectation on both sides is for another classic that could come down to the final seconds, if not the final yard.

“We stole one up there, but I think they’re going to be ready for this one,” 49ers right tackle Colton McKivitz said. “It’s going to come down to that last couple of plays.”

ESPN’s NFL Nation 49ers reporter Nick Wagoner and Seahawks reporter Brady Henderson break down the matchup with the biggest questions heading into the game, key players and injury concerns for each team.

Can Seattle’s defense get to 49ers QB Brock Purdy?

It’s tempting to ask whether Sam Darnold and Seattle’s offense can finally play a clean game and kick their recent bad habit of slow starts, as they’ve failed to top nine points in the first half in six of their past seven games.

But the unstoppable-force-versus-immovable-object matchup on the other side of the ball is worth watching. No offense has been hotter of late than San Francisco’s (it has scored 40-plus points in each of the past two games), and maybe only one defense — Houston’s — has been better than Seattle’s all season. Macdonald’s unit is allowing the second-fewest points in the NFL at 17.3 per game.

Part of the formula has been relying on their dominant front four — led by 2026 Pro Bowlers Leonard Williams and DeMarcus Lawrence — to get to opposing quarterbacks without having to send an extra rusher, instead keeping one more defender in coverage. The Seahawks rank fifth in pressure rate (35.1%) and 27th in blitz rate (20.4%).

Their 44 sacks are eighth most in the NFL, though they’ve only recorded four over their past four games. That is partly due to how quickly Indianapolis Colts’Philip Rivers and Carolina Panthers’Bryce Young got rid of the ball.

Purdy, on the other hand, has averaged the second-longest time before a throw of any quarterback this season at 3.19 seconds. Williams, Lawrence & Co. will need to take advantage of the opportunities Purdy gives them to get home. If San Francisco has to start its backup left tackle, with 12-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams questionable with a hamstring injury, there should be a few.

Seattle’s key players to watch

QB Sam Darnold
The Seahawks are hoping that Darnold can regain the form he showed over the first two months of the season, when he led the NFL in Total QBR (78.2) through 10 weeks. The past seven have been an adventure. Darnold ranks 27th in Total QBR (37.3) since Week 11, committing 10 turnovers in that span. Which is not to say the Seahawks have been winning entirely in spite of him. Two weeks ago, for instance, he played a leading role in their epic comeback against the Rams, coming up clutch in the fourth quarter and overtime. Last week, he made several big-time throws on third down to help Seattle pull away from Carolina.

Darnold has up to $2.5 million worth of contract incentives that he can reach in this game, including $500,000 apiece for throwing three more touchdown passes and 150 more passing yards.

DB Nick Emmanwori
The rookie second-round pick played all of four snaps in the season opener against San Francisco before suffering an ankle injury that sidelined him for the next three games. Since returning, he has developed into an almost-every-down playmaker, a versatile weapon and one of the leading candidates for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Emmanwori lit up the scouting combine with a 4.38 40-yard dash and a 43-inch vertical jump at 6-3 and 220 pounds. That blend of size and athleticism allows him to play all over the field — sometimes lining up on the line of scrimmage, or across from slot receivers. He’s an X factor that Seattle’s defense didn’t have the first time it faced the 49ers.

Stat to know

Wide receiverJaxon Smith-Njigbais having a historic season for the Seahawks. His 1,709 receiving yards and 113 receptions are franchise single-season records. He is 91 yards shy of becoming the seventh player in NFL history to record 1,800 receiving yards in a season.

Smith-Njigba is a downfield threat, leading the NFL in receptions and yards (683) on passes 20-plus yards downfield this season. His 974 yards on passes thrown outside the numbers this season is 222 more than the next-closest player.

Injury concerns

The Seahawks could be down to their third-string left tackle, undrafted rookie Amari Kight. They ruled out starter Charles Cross and have listed Josh Jones as questionable. Jones has filled in capably for Cross the past two games, but he suffered knee and ankle injuries against Carolina that kept him from practicing Tuesday and Wednesday before he returned Thursday as a limited participant.

The Seahawks’ defense will likely be without safety Coby Bryant, who’s doubtful with a knee injury that also sidelined him last week. The good news there is that Ty Okada has been an unsung hero this season while making nine starts for Julian Love and one last week for Bryant.

Another piece of good news for the Seahawks: Wide receiver and kick returner Rashid Shaheed cleared concussion protocol this week after leaving last week’s game against the Panthers.

Best thing I heard in the Seahawks’ locker room this week:

“We know they’re a good offense and we’re a good defense. Saturday is going to speak for itself. I’m not going to lip-box y’all to death about what we’re going to do or not. I’m just going to get out there … and play Saturday. Let us go, let our defense roll and let our pads do the talking Saturday night.” — defensive tackle Jarran Reed

Last time the Seahawks won the NFC’s No. 1 seed

It has happened three times in franchise history. Not coincidentally, those were the three times the Seahawks made the Super Bowl.

The most recent was in 2014, the year they came a yard away from claiming their second straight Lombardi Trophy. The Seahawks went 12-4 in the regular season before beating Carolina in the divisional round and then Green Bay in overtime in the NFC Championship Game, after they improbably erased a 12-point deficit in the final four minutes.

The Seahawks went into the final weekend of the 2019 season with a chance to claim the No. 1 seed with a win and some help. But by the time they kicked off against the 49ers, it was no longer in play for Seattle. So this will be the first time since 2014 in which the top seed will truly be on the line for the Seahawks in their regular-season finale. — Henderson

Will San Francisco’s defense step up and force turnovers?

Absent star defensive end Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner, the Niners’ defense has struggled mightily down the stretch, particularly when facing more efficient offenses. While Seattle’s defense is the better side of the ball, the offense has been no slouch despite some late-season hiccups.

But the Seahawks also have a penchant for giving the ball away. Seattle has 28 turnovers this season, second most in the NFL with Darnold responsible for a league-high 20 of those.

Those giveaways have become even more common in the past seven games, as Darnold has 10 turnovers in that span. It’s why a hot start that had Darnold — who spent the 2023 season with the 49ers as Purdy’s backup — in the MVP conversation has given way to observers wondering if he can do enough to guide an otherwise well-rounded team on a deep playoff run.

The Niners’ defense, meanwhile, has made its living this season off limiting explosive plays, forcing field goal attempts and coming up with the occasional fourth-down stop or red zone turnover.

Aside from that, though, there hasn’t been a whole lot of resistance from Robert Saleh’s patchwork unit. And taking the ball away is probably second only to pass rush in areas the Niners would like to improve defensively.

San Francisco is tied for 22nd in takeaways this season with 16 and has had none in seven of its 16 games. Coincidentally, it was a late-game forced fumble from Bosa that clinched San Francisco’s Week 1 win against Seattle.

There will be no Bosa to bail the Niners out this time. The numbers suggest Seattle will give someone else a chance to make that key play that could win the game, but it’s still fair to wonder who on the Niners’ defense will be the one to capitalize when that opportunity arises.

49ers’ key players to watch

QB Brock Purdy
There’s a case to be made that Purdy is playing the best ball of his still young career. Since returning from a toe injury in Week 11, Purdy has thrown 16 touchdowns with five interceptions and added three rushing scores. He’s not qualified because of time missed, but if he was, Purdy’s 77.8 QBR would lead the NFL.

Like Darnold, Purdy has had turnover troubles, and Seattle’s defense is a difficult challenge. But if he can take care of the ball, there should be opportunities for another big day.

CB Deommodore Lenoir

Lenoir has not shied away from trash-talking anyone but that’s especially true when it comes to the Seahawks. Lenoir has fully embraced this rivalry and even fired shots at Smith-Njigba, Seattle’s star wideout, in March. He doubled down on that this week, asking to shadow JSN on Saturday night.

“Man-to-man coverage, me and him,” Lenoir said. “That’s what I want.” The Niners are unlikely to grant that request because of how they’d have to change their defense elsewhere but, after sharing his thoughts, Lenoir will be in the crosshairs if and when Seattle targets him.

Stat to know

Running back Christian McCaffreyhas shown what makes him a dual threat in the passing and rushing games again this season. His 17 total touchdowns are tied for third most by a Niner in a season. He is on pace to average 50 rushing yards per game and 50 receiving YPG in a season for the third time in his career.

McCaffrey’s 116.4 career scrimmage YPG is the third most in NFL history (min. 100 games) after Hall of Famers Jim Brown (125.5) and Barry Sanders (118.9).

Against the Seahawks he can further cement himself in history. He needs five receptions to pass LaDainian Tomlinson (624) for the third-most catches by a running back in NFL history.And he needs four receptions to reach 100 for the season and become the first Niner since Terrell Owens in 2002 to hit the century mark.

Injury concerns

The Niners could be without left tackle Trent Williams because of a right hamstring injury. He’s listed as questionable, and though coach Kyle Shanahan said Williams has made “good progress,” Williams said “we’ll see” when asked if he will be available. Austen Pleasants, who fared well against Chicago last week, would make his first NFL start if Williams can’t play.

As for George Kittle, who sat out last week against the Chicago Bears with an ankle injury, he said he “absolutely” expects to play versus the Seahawks, but was officially listed as questionable.

Best thing I heard in the 49ers’ locker room this week:

“We never really thought that ‘Hey, man, we’ve got to go attack the No. 1 seed.’ It was always we’ve got to go take on whoever we’re playing on Sunday and win that game. And so, this is just where we’re at at the end of the year. We’re very grateful for that, to be in this opportunity and situation. But, we can talk all we want. We have to go do it at the end of the day.” — Purdy

Last time the 49ers won the NFC’s No. 1 seed

The 49ers surged to the NFC’s top seed in 2023 when they finished 12-5 and won the NFC West division. Including that year, each of the previous two times the Niners had the No. 1 seed under Shanahan they’ve advanced to the Super Bowl. — Wagoner

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