WASHINGTON – After a substantial drop in the 1990s, the instances of robberies and burglaries – as well as crime overall – has leveled off in the U.S. according to the FBI’s annual Uniform Crime Report released Oct. 27.
There were an estimated 420,637 robberies in 2002, a 0.7-percent decrease from 2001. A majority of robbery offenders – 42.1 percent – used firearms.
There was a slight increase in burglaries in 2002, with 2.15 million being reported for a 1.7-percent rise compared to 2001. Forcible entry burglaries accounted for 62.8 percent of all offenses. The cost of crime had a steep price in 2002, as losses due to burglary totaled $3.3 billion.
A comprehensive look at the FBI’s latest crime statistics can be seen in the Industry Statistics section of Security Sales & Integration’s 2004 Buyers’ Guide & Fact Book, which shipped with this issue.
