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FBI Releases U.S. Crime Statistics

FBI Portland September 13, 2010
  • Beth Anne Steele (503) 460-8099

Today, the FBI released its annual Crime in the United States report for American cities. Nationwide, violent crime per 100,000 people fell by 6.1 percent in 2009. Property crime was down 4.6 percent. The FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program collects data on the following crimes: murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-threat, and motor vehicle thefts. In 2009, each of those seven categories saw decreases nationally.

Some highlights from the Pacific Northwest include:

  • The rate of violent crime for Oregon’s cities decreased by 2.1 percent (per 100,000) people and property crime decreased by 10.2 percent (per 100,000 people).
  • The rate of violent crime for Washington’s cities was unchanged (per 100,000 people) and its property crime rate declined by 2.9 percent (per 100,000 people).
  • In Portland, all categories saw a decrease with the exception of rapes, which were up just slightly from 250 to 252.
  • In Eugene, the rates for five of the crime categories (murders, robberies, aggravated assaults, larceny-thefts, and motor vehicle thefts) were down. Only rapes and burglaries were up.
  • In Gresham, there were decreases in every crime category except larceny-thefts.
  • In Salem, there were decreases in the numbers murders, robberies, burglaries, and larceny-thefts and motor vehicle thefts. There were increases in rapes and aggravated assaults.
  • In Vancouver, there were decreases in the numbers of robberies, larceny-thefts, and motor vehicle thefts. There were increases in the numbers of murders, rapes, aggravated assaults and burglaries.

Almost 18,000 city, county and state law enforcement agencies voluntarily submit data to this nationwide, cooperative statistical effort.

PORTLAND

 

2008

2009

Murder & non-negligent manslaughter

26

19

Forcible Rape

250

252

Robbery

1,132

1,037

Aggravated Assault

2,037

1,797

Burglary

4,307

3,696

Larceny-theft

21,597

19,624

Motor vehicle theft

3,339

3,175

EUGENE

 

2008

2009

Murder & non-negligent manslaughter

2

1

Forcible rape

60

73

Robbery

223

201

Aggravated assault

211

195

Burglary

1,704

1,868

Larceny-theft

6,814

5,871

Motor vehicle theft

1,303

888

GRESHAM

 

2008

2009

Murder & non-negligent manslaughter

6

0

Forcible Rape

72

37

Robbery

156

153

Aggravated Assault

261

192

Burglary

703

572

Larceny-theft

2,502

2,747

Motor vehicle theft

684

669

SALEM

 

2008

2009

Murder & non-negligent manslaughter

9

5

Forcible Rape

58

71

Robbery

136

121

Aggravated Assault

369

379

Burglary

1,094

967

Larceny-theft

5,428

4,617

Motor vehicle theft

651

629

VANCOUVER

 

2008

2009

Murder & non-negligent manslaughter

0

6

Forcible Rape

105

117

Robbery

176

158

Aggravated Assault

324

375

Burglary

842

886

Larceny-theft

4,248

4,159

Motor vehicle theft

1,208

899

The FBI simply compiles the information as it is provided from local jurisdictions. You will need to contact those local jurisdictions for any analysis of the numbers listed above. Also note that the report features a prominent message cautioning against using the statistics to rank cities or counties. Such rankings can lead to simplistic or incomplete analyses, overlooking the many variables impacting crime and its reporting. The Oregon and Washington crime tables are attached to this release, or you can download the entire report from the FBI's web site at www.fbi.gov.