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Tuesday, May 25, 2004

The violent crimes - rape, robbery, aggravated assault and homicides including murder and manslaughter - dropped 3.2 percent compared with 2002, fueled mostly by sharp declines in rape and assault.

Homicide was the only category on the increase, rising nationwide last year by about 178 cases, or 1.1 percent. In the previous two years, murder and manslaughter edged up 1 percent in 2002 and 2.5 percent in 2001.

"I think it's very impressive," said Jack Levin, a criminologist who is director of the Brudnick Center on Violence at Northeastern University. "We've gone through a recession, we've gone through a period where the stock market plummeted, and we came out in pretty good shape."

Experts noted that the decrease in violent crime should be interpreted carefully, because police have wider discretion in reporting rape and assault, the categories showing the biggest declines last year.

Even so, the rise in homicide is relatively flat compared to the double-digit increases of the early 1990s, sparked by crack cocaine, and in the tumultuous 1960s, a period marked by social discord over the Vietnam War and civil rights.

Meanwhile, the uptick in homicides in recent years might be attributed to increased drug activity and more guns on the streets, experts said.

"We've had plenty of disagreements but nothing like the huge social movements in the past," said Gary LaFree, a professor of criminal justice at the University of Maryland in College Park. "And the fact that robbery is going down suggests there may be a partial law enforcement effect."

LaFree said the overall drop in violent crime was a bit surprising given cuts in police forces in recent years but attributed it in part to smarter policing in which officers focus on higher risk neighborhoods rather than randomly patrolling areas.

Violent crimes have been dropping steadily over the past five years, particularly in the nation's largest cities. Monday's report reflected a 6.5 percent decrease from 2002 to 2003 in these crimes in cities with more than 1 million inhabitants.

Decreases were reported in all regions, with the Midwest showing the steepest drop at 7 percent. The decreases were 3.2 percent for the Northeast, 2.7 percent for the South and 1.2 percent for the West.

Attorney General John Ashcroft cited tougher law enforcement methods and stiffer sentences for habitual criminals for driving down the nation's violent crime rate.

"Hard-core criminals are paying unprecedented penalties, and law-abiding Americans are enjoying newfound safety," Ashcroft said in a statement.

The property crimes of burglary, larceny-theft and car theft remained virtually unchanged from year to year, according to the report. Arson, measured separately, dropped by 6.9 percent compared with 2002.

The numbers come from 11,921 law enforcement agencies around the country that participated in the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program. The final report for 2003 will be released in the fall.

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