2009 FBI Crime In the United States Report

Historically, crime increases during a recession. That has criminologists scratching their heads and wondering as they reviewed the data and pondered the reasons for significant statistical declines in crime nationwide last year -- the third straight decline -- according to the FBI's annual report on violent crime, released Monday.

There was an overall drop of 5.3 percent in violent crime and a total decline in reported property crimes of 4.6 percent for 2009, according to a CNN news article yesterday. "Robbery dropped by 8.0 percent compared with 2008; aggravated assault declined by 4.2 percent, and forcible rape dropped 2.6 percent… Property crimes dropped for the seventh straight year in 2009. Nationwide, slightly over 9.3 million property crimes were reported. Motor vehicle thefts plunged more than 17 percent, while larceny fell 4.0 percent and the estimated number of burglaries dropped 1.3 percent."

A USAToday article reported that "last year Ohio saw a drop in violent crime reported to police, mirroring the national trend, and that the state's 5 percent decline in violent crime was accompanied by a 3.9 percent dip in property crime. Burglary was an exception."

Ohio had a grand total of 38, 332 violent crimes in 2009, according to the FBI report, compared with 39, 997 in 2008 and 37, 935 ten years ago in 2000. Of its 377, 553 property crimes last year, 104, 213 were burglaries. That compared with 102, 544 burglaries out of its 391, 862 property crimes in 2008. Kentucky and Indiana had 11, 159 and 21, 404 violent crimes, respectively, last year, compared with 12, 646 and 21, 263 in 2008.

Of the violent crimes in Ohio last year, 249 violent crimes & 7, 197 property crimes were reported by the Hamilton County sheriff's office. Butler County had 67 violent crime reports and 825 property crime; and Clermont had 105 violence crime and 1, 633 property crime reports. Figures for Warren County were unavailable. ( See Table )


Reports From Previous Years (1995-2009)