FBI reports biggest violent crime jump in 15 years By James Vicini 11 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. violent crimes last year increased by the highest percentage in 15 years, the
FBI said on Monday, but Justice Department officials rejected any suggestion that an anti-terrorism emphasis and federal funding cuts were to blame.
The FBI said nearly 12,500 law enforcement agencies across the country reported an increase in the number of violent crimes of 2.5 percent last year, led by more murders, robberies and aggravated assaults.
It said the number of murders rose 4.8 percent, the largest percentage gain in 15 years. Robberies increased 4.5 percent while the number of aggravated assaults went up 1.9 percent. The only violent crime category to drop was rape, falling 1.9 percent.
The nation's four regions all posted increases in violent crime in 2005. The Midwest had the steepest jump at 5.7 percent, followed by the West at 1.9 percent, the South at 1.8 percent and the Northeast at 1.4 percent.
Murders went up the most in cities with 50,000 to 500,000 people, rising between 9.4 and 12.5 percent. The smallest increase in murders -- just 0.5 percent -- occurred in cities with more than 1 million people.
While violent crimes went up last year, the number of property crime offenses, like burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft, dropped 1.6 percent.
The FBI report did not give any explanation why the violent crime numbers and murders went up last year, but Justice Department officials said during a news briefing that the government's policies were not to blame.
ATTORNEY GENERAL WANTS MORE INFORMATION
Responding to questions from reporters about the views of some criminal justice experts, the officials rejected the suggestion that the increase may reflect the anti-terrorism emphasis since the September 11 attacks and funding cuts for programs to put more police officers on the street.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has directed Justice Department and FBI experts to look at the crime data and report back to him on what could be the cause of the increase, the officials said.
The officials called the increase troubling and a matter of concern, but said the FBI's preliminary numbers, which cover about 75 percent of the nation, do not necessarily signify a trend of higher crime rates.
"These numbers are something to watch," Richard Hertling, principal deputy assistant attorney general, said. "They don't necessarily reflect a trend."
Jeffrey Sedwick of the department's Bureau of Justice Statistics said crime numbers have been driven down to historically low levels, with decreases for about 15 years. Thus, even a relatively small increase can produce what appears to be a large percentage gain, he said.
Hertling said the United States has about the same number of violent offenses as 20 years ago, while the nation's population has increased by about 60 million people over that period.
He said one reason for the increase in some areas is that large numbers of prisoners are being released and returning to their communities and committing crimes again.
David Kennedy, director of the Center for Crime Prevention and Control at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said mid-sized and smaller jurisdictions are seeing the same kind of gun, drug, and gang issues that used to be confined to big cities.