Audio Transcript

Mollie Halpern: FBI statistics show violent and property crime were down in the first six months of last year…that’s when compared to the same time period the year before.

I’m Mollie Halpern of the Bureau, and this is FBI, This Week. The Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report is based on data the FBI collects and compiles from nearly 13,000 law enforcement agencies across the country. Randy Thysee is the deputy assistant director of the Criminal Justice Information Services Division…

Randy Thysse: If you look at the murders, they’re down almost 7 percent, and aggravated assaults are down well over 6.5 percent comparing that same period, 2012 to 2013.

Halpern: Violent crime decreased nearly 11 percent in nonmetropolitan counties and almost 4 percent in metropolitan counties. Property crime also dipped.

Thysse: No matter how you slice it—whether you’re looking at metropolitan areas versus rural areas—the crime is still down.

Halpern: The annual Uniform Crime Report, which will have the final data, will be released in the fall.