PA State Police: Crimes Reported in PA Down From Previous Year

HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The overall number of crimes in Pennsylvania reported to the Pennsylvania State Police through the Uniform Crime Reporting System decreased .7 percent in 2011, Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan announced today.

Violent crimes declined .9 percent during 2011, the lowest total since 2003, Noonan said.

The statistics are included in the 2011 Uniform Crime Report available online through the Public Services link at www.psp.state.pa.us.

The total number of crimes reported to state police in 2011 was 927,271, compared to the 934,248 crimes reported in 2010.

The annual report is based on crime statistics submitted to the Pennsylvania State Police by law enforcement agencies throughout Pennsylvania for the year 2011.

"While it is good news that the overall number of crimes have decreased, we must continue to remember that each crime represents a victim whose freedoms must be protected," Noonan said.

The number of violent crimes, which are murder, nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault, dropped from 46,363 in 2010 to 45,967 last year. Property crimes, which are burglary, larceny/theft, motor vehicle theft and arson, increased 2.6 percent from 276,564 in 2010 to 283,660 in 2011.

The number of Crime Index offenses, which are those considered most likely to be reported to police, and are used nationally as a basis for comparing criminal activity, increased 2.1 percent from 322,927 in 2010 to 329,627 last year. Crime Index offenses are murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny/theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson.

The breakdown of reported Crime Index offenses for 2011 is as follows:

• Murders decreased 2.3 percent from 653 to 638;
• Forcible rapes decreased 4.1 percent to 3,320;
• Robberies declined 1.3 percent to 16,117;
• Aggravated assaults dipped .1 percent to 25,892;
• Burglaries increased 5.1 percent to 57,675;
• Larcenies/thefts increased 2.2 percent to 207,398;
• Motor-vehicle thefts increased 1.0 percent to 16,812; and
• Arsons declined 12.9 percent to 1,775.

The Uniform Crime Report also includes figures on 18 other types of crime, known as Part II offenses. Those reported offenses dropped by 2.2 percent in 2011, from 611,302 in 2010 to 597,627. Included in the Part II violations are reported incidents of vandalism – down 7.4 percent to 99,458, and reported drug-abuse violations were down .4 percent to 52,013.

Other statistics from the 2011 Uniform Crime Report include:

• Reported hate crime incidents decreased from 83 in 2010 to 73 last year.  Hate crime incidents are those motivated by bias against an individual or group based on race, color, religion or national origin;
• The number of assaults on police officers in Pennsylvania fell 18.2 percent to 2,484 last year;
• Arrests for driving under the influence declined 1.5 percent to 51,716. Of the total, 75.8 percent of those arrested were male.

The state's Uniform Crime Report system is a web-based system through which law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania enter monthly data directly into a state police database. Citizens can go to the website and view the data as soon as it is submitted.

The Uniform Crime Report does not try to explain the reasons for any increase or decrease in particular crimes. "Its purpose is to help criminal justice agencies adjust their efforts and resources," Noonan said.

"This overall decline is a positive reflection of the hard work being done by our troopers and law enforcement officers who risk their lives each and every day to make Pennsylvania safer and more secure," Noonan said.

The numbers listed in the 2011 Uniform Crime Report are subject to change as police departments update or review their reports.

The report is dedicated to all Pennsylvania law enforcement officers and, in particular, to the following officers who lost their lives in the performance of duty during 2011:  Deputy Sheriff Kyle Pagerly, Berks County Sheriff's Department; Police Officer Robert A. Lasso, Freemansburg Borough Police Department; Patrolman Derek Kotecki, Lower Burrell Police Department; and Police Officer John David Dryer, East Washington Borough Police Department.

For more information, visit www.psp.state.pa.us or call 717-783-5556.

Media contact: Maria A. Finn or Cpl. Jill M. Mahady, 717-783-5556

SOURCE Pennsylvania State Police