For Release
May 30, 2001

Washington D.C.
FBI National Press Office

The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced today that preliminary 2000 figures from its nationwide Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program indicate that the Crime Index, which is composed of murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft, was relatively unchanged from 1999 figures.

Compared with figures from the previous year, these preliminary figures indicate violent crime totals remained relatively unchanged with an increase of 0.1 percent, and property crime totals showed virtually no change. The final figures for 2000 will be available this fall.

In the violent crime category, murder showed a decline of 1.1 percent followed by robbery with a 0.7-percent decrease. Forcible rape and aggravated assault figures indicated an increase of 0.7 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively. In the property crime category, burglary decreased 2.1 percent from 1999 numbers. Motor vehicle theft increased by 2.7 percent, and larceny-theft increased 0.1 percent when compared to 1999 data. Additionally, a decline of 0.6 percent was registered for arson.

Regionally, law enforcement agencies in the Northeast and Midwest reported decreases in the Crime Index total, with declines of 2.4 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively. In the West, a 1.1-percent increase was registered and a 1-percent increase was noted in the South. A comparison of 2000 and 1999 data showed that violent crime fell 1.7 percent in the Northeast and 0.7 percent in the Midwest. A 1.2-percent increase in violent crime was recorded in the West and an increase of 0.7 percent in the South. Murder was down in the West by 3.9 percent and 2.3 percent in the Midwest. However, murder increased in the Northeast and South by 1.3 percent and 0.9 percent, respectively. Property crime totals fell by 2.6 percent in the Northeast and 1.2 percent in the Midwest. In both the South and West, a 1-percent increase in property crimes was noted.

Among cities, those with populations of 50,000 to 99,999 inhabitants registered the largest decrease, 1.1 percent, in Index crime. The greatest increase, 0.5 percent, was recorded by cities with populations 25,000 to 49,999 and also those with populations of 100,000 to 249,999. Compared with the 1999 figures, data for 2000 showed that the Crime Index increased 0.7 percent in suburban counties and decreased 0.8 percent in rural counties.

Over 17,000 city, county, and state law enforcement agencies voluntarily participate in the nationwide, cooperative statistical effort of the FBI's UCR Program. These comprehensive data are published annually in Crime in the United States.