Naked City

Crime Roller Coaster

According to statistics collected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, violent crime in the U.S. decreased by 5.5% in 2010. Austin saw a similar overall decrease in violent crimes reported to police – down 6% last year – even though the number of murders in Austin increased by a whopping 73%, with 38 homicides in 2010 as compared with just 22 in 2009. The number of forcible rapes reported to police remained the same, with 265 reported each year; robbery, however, was down 13%. Property crimes reported to police – burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft – decreased by 5% overall, outpacing the national decrease of just under 3%. The preliminary numbers collected as part of the annual Uniform Crime Reports can be found at www.fbi.gov/ucr.