by Robert L. Jackson
The Los Angeles Times
WASHINGTON — Violent crime in the United States resumed its gradual decrease in the first half of the year despite slightly more murders and robberies, the FBI reported yesterday.
The drop in major crimes nationally was calculated at 1.3 percent compared with the same period last year, as reported by law-enforcement agencies. Many of the nation’s largest cities reported lower overall crime rates.
The decline in the major crime rate represented the resumption of a long-running decrease. Last year, the FBI said serious crimes had leveled off after a steep eight-year drop.
Lower crime rates generally have been attributed to improved police tactics, more officers walking neighborhood beats, and the demise of the crack-cocaine markets that helped send crime rates soaring in the late 1980s.
The vibrant economy also contributed to the steady decline in violent crime in the 1990s, authorities said. But last year, crime fell only marginally, and many criminologists forecast that rates would begin to rise again this year.
By region, crime totals fell 4 percent in the Northeast and nearly 2 percent in the Midwest, but rose 1.6 percent in the West and 0.8 percent in the South. There was no state-by-state breakdown.
Murders, after declining 1.1 percent in 2000, were up by 0.3 percent in the first half of the year.
Among other violent crimes, robberies rose 0.8 percent, rapes declined by 1.7 percent and aggravated assaults fell 2.4 percent. Property crimes, including burglary and car theft, fell 0.2 percent.
The FBI report is based on data from 17,000 local and state law enforcement agencies.
Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.