Crime Rate Stays the Same

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- The violent crime rate in 2007 was close to the 2005 rate while the property crime rate was somewhat below the 2005 figure, the U.S. Justice Department said.

Violent and property crime rates in 2007 were at or near the lowest levels recorded data was first available in 1973, the department's Bureau of Justice Statistics said Wednesday in a news release.

Rates for 2007 and 2005 were compared since 2006's rates were atypical because of methodology changes made to the National Crime Victimization Survey, the bureau said.

In 2007, the violent crime rate of 20.7 incidents per 1,000 persons over the age of 12 was 43 percent lower than the rate in 1998, and the property crime rate of 146.5 incidents per 1,000 households was 33 percent lower than in 1998, the bureau said.

During 2007, U.S. residents over the age of 12 experienced an estimated 23 million crimes of violence and theft.

Males experienced 22 violent victimizations per 1,000 males, while females experienced 19 violent victimizations per 1,000 females, the statistics indicated.

The bureau's data indicate 46 six percent of all violent crimes and 37 percent of all property crimes were reported to the police.

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