The number of robberies reached its lowest level in more
than 40 years, while burglaries ended a three-year rise
according to the FBI’s final crime statistics for 2004.
Violent crimes dropped 1.2 percent in 2003, while property
crimes were down 1.1 percent according to the 2004 FBI
Uniform Crime Report.
The report, released Oct. 17, shows that robberies were
down 3.1 percent with 401,326 recorded by law enforcement
around the nation in 2004 – the lowest number of robberies
since at least 1965. Meanwhile, after three years of going
up, burglaries were down 0.5 percent in 2004 for a total of
2.14 million.
Overall, robberies are down 30.9 percent and burglaries
down 17.4 percent since 1995. Burglaries are usually
defined as nonviolent thefts after a property break-in,
while robberies involve theft with the intention or use of
violence.
The FBI says violent crimes overall are down 24 percent
during the past 10 years while property crimes have fallen
14.4 percent in that period. Violent crimes include
homicides, forcible rape, robberies and assaults while
property crimes are defined as burglaries, larceny and car
theft.
Among all the subcategories of violent and property crimes,
the only one showing a rise in 2004 was forcible rape, up
0.8 percent in 2004.
For a look at statistics from the 2004 FBI Uniform Crime
Report, see Security Sales & Integration‘s 2006
Top 500 Industry Resources Guide (formerly Buyers’
Guide and Fact Book), coming in December.
