The FBI estimated that in 2012, the number of violent crimes increased 0.7 percent, according to the figures released today. However, property crimes decreased 0.9 percent, marking the 10th straight year of declines for these offenses, collectively.
The 2012 statistics show that the estimated rate of violent crime was 386.9 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants, and the property crime rate was 2,859.2 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants. While the violent crime rate remained virtually unchanged when compared to the 2011 rate, the property crime rate declined 1.6 percent. Full Article
This report doesn’t really apply to this forum. OF all it says, only at one spot does it note anything related to sex offenses, that being forcible rape, which was up by 0.2% over the previous year.
I note, these kid of statistics can be interpreted and ballied about in various ways, according to what you want them to be. Frankly, you could argue that with all the SOR going on, if forcible rape is up anyway, then SOR doesn’t work. Of course, those who want SOR will say that the statistics show more and harsher steps are needed. (Guess which argument will prevail in the public mind.)
I also note, this story does not say if this is convictions, arrests, or simply police reports filed. I believe it is the later. Thus, even saying forcible rape is up could potentially mean nothing other than that the number of false reports are up.
In the end,these statistics will be used for all kinds of misguided reasons and interpreted is all kinds of misguided ways. They are not worth a fraction of what they appear to be worth.
In fact, I know that they are based on reports from the various police departments, and the police departments routinely knowingly report false numbers depending on their purpose, normally about crime being higher than it is in order to justify bigger budgets, but sometimes that it is down, for political reasons.