FBI: Violent Crime Down

Rates of violent crime, including murder, fell during the first six months of 2007, reversing a recent trend, a preliminary FBI review shows. An overall decline of 1% in murders, including a 6.5% drop in the nation’s largest cities, accompanied a 2% dip in violent crime and drops across all crime categories, including rape, robbery, and property crimes such as car theft and arson, USA Today reports.

The bureau’s numbers agree with earlier reports that suggested the violent crime surge of 2005-’06 was turning a corner. Smaller urban areas, however, didn’t share in the improvement: Cities with populations of 50,000 to 100,000 saw a 3.2% increase in murders, and those with populations between 10,000 and 24,999 saw a 1.1% increase in violent crime in general. (More FBI stories.)