GILROY
– The number of violent crimes in Santa Clara County decreased
by more than 20 percent last year, according to recent data
released by the California Department of Justice.
GILROY – The number of violent crimes in Santa Clara County decreased by more than 20 percent last year, according to recent data released by the California Department of Justice.
Throughout the county, 6,232 violent crimes were recorded in 2002, down from the 7,822 in 2001. Violent crimes include homicide, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault.
“When you compare our crime rates with other counties our size in the state, it’s very low. So, obviously, we’re pleased,” said Dennis Bacon, commander of the Field Enforcement Bureau of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department. “Even with the tough economic times we’ve managed to reduce the crime, so that’s encouraging that some of our programs are working.”
Aggravated assaults accounted for the most dramatic decline in county crime between 2001 and 2002, decreasing nearly 30 percent. In 2001, county law agencies recorded 6,172 aggravated assaults – in 2002 that number dropped to 4,354.
Santa Clara County has the fifth-largest county population in the state.
“It’s hard to point to just one factor that made the assaults decline,” Bacon said.
There were three more murders recorded in Santa Clara County in 2002 – 37 – than in 2001, but because the population increased by 12,000 people to 1,718,500, the murder rate remained essentially the same.
All other violent crimes, including forcible rape and robberies, showed an increase between 2001 and 2002.
The number of forcible rapes jumped 14 percent from 476 to 543 in 2002, and recorded robberies increased 13.9 percent from 1,140 to 1,298.
“Crimes like robberies and car theft are usually more in tune with the economy than other violent crimes,” Bacon said. “These are crimes where the criminals see a quick return (money) from their crimes.”
Nonviolent property crimes in the county – which include burglary and vehicle theft – increased by a total of 3.5 percent between 2001 and 2002. The number of vehicle thefts increased from 4,607 to 5,028 in 2002, more than 9 percent.
Burglaries decreased .8 percent in 2002 to 6,094, down from 6,144 in 2001.
In neighboring San Benito County, violent crimes decreased by nearly 30 percent in 2002, including a nearly 39 percent decrease in aggravated assaults, according to the Department of Justice.
