ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — New data shows violent crime was down in 2025 in the Tampa Bay area.
The city of St. Petersburg had the lowest number of homicides in nearly 60 years. Youth crime is also down, according to the city’s police deparatment.
What You Need To Know
Violent crime is down in St. Petersburg, according to the city’s police department
St. Pete had the lowest number of homicides in nearly 60 years
Youth crime is also down, the police chief said, thanks to city programs
A new Young Influencer Felony Prevention Program starts in March
St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway said that’s in part because of city programs keeping kids out of trouble, and another new program is launching soon.
Charles Price is starting the Young Influencer Felony Prevention Program next month. It’s a subject that hits close to home.
“I got my first arrest at 12. Assault and battery. At 15, I had an armed robbery. At age 24, I went to prison,” said Price, who is the founder and president of Felons Ain’t Failures.
Price started a podcast geared toward felons to foster community. That community will help facilitate the new program.
“They’ll be able to tell the kids: this is not a life you want to live. It’s not a fun life. It’s not what TV makes it look like. It’s rough, it’s lonely, and mentally it does a lot to you,” Price said.
The Young Influencers Felony Prevention Program will feature four different projects over ten months. With lessons focusing on self-discipline, goal setting and conflict resolution.
“They see guys out here selling drugs, it looks cool, they have nice cars, they have women around them and so we’re trying to turn their minds into something different,” he said.
While this program will focus on felony prevention, St. Petersburg’s “Forward Together” program helps young felons get back on track by addressing the root cause.
Holloway said 60% of participants are not re-offending.
“We’re getting on the front of it and not on the back end of it, because people make mistakes, but how do you address it after a mistake? So I think by us staying in front of it when a child does something wrong, that we’re addressing it right away,” Holloway said.
New data shows that violent crime is down by 16% across St. Pete.
Homicides, robberies and auto thefts were down from 2024 and are well below the five-year average.
“What we tend to see is that people are starting to really talk to each other instead of just using a gun and finding a way of solution or using a knife or something like that,” Holloway said.
Holloway said police will continue to build trust with the community to keep the downward trend in motion. Price hopes that his prevention program will have the same effect.
“We believe with the mental, the physical, the group sessions and conversation, and then the professional readiness, that can keep a child from making a bad decision to go down the wrong path,” Price said.
The new program will kick off at the Thomas “Jet” Jackson Recreation Center on March 4 for registered participants.
Crime is also dropping on the other side of the bay.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, violent crime was down by nearly 14% and homicides fell by 55% from 2024 to 2025.