Violent crime against both people and property dipped by 5.5 percent across the United States last year, the FBI disclosed Monday, reports UPI.
The bureau's 2010 Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report shows reported violent crime down 5.5 percent and property crimes falling 2.8 percent from 2009.
The report provides figures on crimes including murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson.
Murder declined by 4.4 percent, rape by 4.2 percent, robbery by 9.5 percent and aggravated assault by 3.6 percent, UPI reports.
Violent crime was down in all regions, with the most stark decline in the South (7.5 percent), followed by the Midwest (5.9 percent), the West (5.8 percent) and the Northeast (0.4 percent).
Property crime in the South was down 3.8 percent, 2.7 percent in the Midwest, 2.5 percent in the West, and 0.5 percent in the Northeast.
In the property crimes category, arson fell 8.3 percent nationally, vehicle theft by 7.2 percent, larceny-theft 2.8 percent and burglary 1.1 percent, reports UPI.
Some categories did have increases, however – the Northeast was only region to experience increases.
New York City saw a 1.4 percent increase in forcible rapes, a 3.5 percent rise in burglary and a 0.7 percent increase in aggravated assault.
Cities with 250,000 to 499,999 people reported a 3 percent rise in murder.
The report is informed by data from 13,007 law enforcement agencies throughout the country, UPI reports.
