Violent crime reports dropped 4.4 percent and property crime reports fell 6.1 percent in 2009’s first six months compared with the previous year, the FBI said today. The new compilation runs counter to the idea that crime increases during economic downturns. Some crime experts had forecast that particularly robberies and property offenses might be affected by the economy’s woes.
The FBI said that all four of the offenses that make up violent crime decreased: murder by 10 percent, robbery 6.5 percent, forcible rape 3.3 percent and aggravated assault 3.2 percent. Violent crime was down 7 percent in cities with more than 1 million p0pulation but was up 1.7 percent in cities of 10,000 to 24,000. Among property crimes, motor vehicle theft reports dropped 18.7 percent, larceny-theft decreased 5.3 percent, and burglary declined 2.5 percent.