Crime was down across Michigan in 2007, as rape, murders, and car thefts dropped substantially, reports the Detroit News. In Detroit, crime rates fell after a two-year climb. Yet Detroit again had the highest murder and violent crime rates among the nation’s biggest cities. Of violent crimes in Michigan, rapes showed the biggest decline — more than 13 percent. The dip is somewhat surprising, said criminologist Eric Lambert of Wayne State University. When the economy dips, crime tends to spike. Many police departments are struggling with limited resources.
As crime spiked two years ago, the Detroit Police Department began having regular meetings among leaders in key areas — homicide, narcotics, the gang unit and others — to share information. The thinking: A burglar on the east side today could be a drug dealer on the west side tomorrow. The department says the information swap has made it more effective. “Because of the strain of resources, we have to be a lot more creative,” Tate said. “The daily crime briefings have helped tremendously.” The city has 300 fewer officers in 2007 than it did two years earlier.
Link: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/METRO/809160377/1409/METRO