St. Petersburg is seeing fewer kids in trouble and fewer killings on the books, and police say that is no coincidence. With the city posting its lowest homicide total in nearly six decades alongside a broader slide in violent crime, Chief Anthony Holloway is crediting early-intervention programs and community partners for steering young people away from the streets while officers zero in on repeat offenders.
The numbers
In 2025 the city recorded 10 homicides, the fewest since 1967, and total crime fell about 16 percent, officials said. Auto thefts and fatal crashes also declined, and several major categories came in below the five-year average, according to a press release from the St. Petersburg Police Department.
Early intervention, not punishment
Holloway says those trends reflect a deliberate move toward getting help to kids early instead of waiting until they are facing serious charges. As reported by Spectrum Bay News 9, he told reporters that roughly 60 percent of young people who go through the city's "Forward Together" program do not re-offend.
New program aimed at felonies
This month local advocate Charles Price rolled out a new Young Influencer Felony Prevention Program that will focus on self-discipline, goal setting and conflict resolution across four projects in a ten-month cycle. Price, founder of Felons Ain't Failures, told reporters, "I got my first arrest at 12," and said the program will begin March 4 at the Thomas "Jet" Jackson Recreation Center and run with St. Pete Parks & Recreation, as reported by Spectrum Bay News 9.
What to watch next
City leaders say the next big test will be whether those gains hold as schools move through new semesters and spring break approaches. The police department says it will continue investing in youth programming and community outreach while tracking outcomes in public reports, according to the January release from the St. Petersburg Police Department.
