On Monday, June 9, 2008 the FBI published the preliminary 2007 Uniform Crime Report (UCR) statistics on www.fbi.gov.  The report covers the 12-month calendar year of 2007, and includes statistics for cities with populations of 100,000 or more.  The preliminary statistics reflect a decline in the number of violent crimes (1.4 percent decline) and property crimes (2.1 percent) nationwide.  Other statistical highlights include:

All four of the violent crime offense categories declined nationwide in 2007 compared with data from 2006.  Forcible rape decreased 4.3 percent, and murder and nonnegligent manslaughter declined 2.7 percent.  Robbery and aggravated assault offenses each decreased 1.2 percent.

By population group, cities with populations of 250,000 to 499,999 saw the greatest decline in violent crime (3.9 percent).

Violent crime in nonmetropolitan counties increased 1.8 percent, but in metropolitan counties decreased 1.7 percent.

Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter decreased 9.8 percent in cities with 1 million or more inhabitants.  However, in cities with populations of 50,000 to 99,999, murder and nonnegligent manslaughter increased 3.7 percent.

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