Gilroy
– Violent crime in the state declined for the 11th year in a row
in 2003, hitting its lowest level in 30 years according to a state
department of justice report.
By Lori Stuenkel
Gilroy – Violent crime in the state declined for the 11th year in a row in 2003, hitting its lowest level in 30 years according to a state department of justice report.
All four categories of violent crime, including homicide, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault, decreased by 3.4 percent from 2002 to 2003. The rate of 569.4 violent crimes reported per 100,000 California residents in 2003 is the lowest rate since 1973, the California Criminal Justice Statistics Center reported.
Property crime, which includes three other types of major crimes, increased 2 percent overall due to a 6.7 percent increase in the motor vehicle theft rate – the only major crime to increase last year. The two other types of property crime – larceny-theft and burglary – decreased slightly from 2002 to 2003.
“This positive news is no doubt a result of all the hard work and dedication that the entire law enforcement community in California puts forth to enforce our laws and provide for the safety of California residents,” said Attorney General Bill Lockyer, in a preface to the state report. “It is also the result of the diligence of many neighborhood leaders and community-based organizations, who, through their tireless efforts and the positive examples they set, foster an atmosphere that is invaluable in helping to create safer and healthier communities.”
Lockyer said the state’s law enforcement agencies must continue to solve and prevent crimes, and be provided the necessary tools to do so.
Violent crime has been on the decline since 1992, when it hit its peak at a rate of 1,104 crimes reported per 100,000 residents after a nine-year period of increasing crime.
The number of homicides decreased 1.5 percent last year. There were 2,402 homicides, accounting for 1.2 percent of all violent crimes in the state.
The rate of aggravated assault, the most common of violent crimes, fell 3.2 percent, with 128,674 incidents reported, for 62.9 percent of violent crimes. Rapes and robberies also decreased, by 4.2 and 3.6 percent, respectively. There were 9,918 rapes reported and 63,597 robberies.
The report offered information on crimes statewide, and was not broken down by county or city.
The property crime rate, affected by more motor vehicle thefts, increased for the fourth year in a row. Those crimes had decreased for eight consecutive years before the upward trend.
