Violent Crime Continues to Decline According to FBI Report

In its Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report, the FBI reports that violent crimes declined 4.4 percent for the first half of 2009, following a 1.9 percent decline in 2008 and a 0.7 percent decline in 2007. All four of the offenses that make up violent crime (murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) decreased nationwide this year. Murder declined 10.0 percent, robbery fell 6.5 percent, forcible rape decreased 3.3 percent, and aggravated assault declined 3.2 percent. The FBI also reported that property crimes declined 6.1 percent for the first half of 2009. [Press Release | Link to Current and Past Uniform Crime Reports] [JH]