Crime rate up slightly in Florida

Saturday, April 5, 2008

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The FDLE released its crime numbers on Friday.

TALLAHASSEE (Bay News 9) -- The rate of serious crimes in Florida edged up in 2007 after years of declines, with a particularly alarming increase in the number of crimes involving guns.

The overall crime rate - factoring in population growth - was up 1.4 percent in 2007, over where it was in 2006, according to data released by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. But for crimes in which guns were used, the numbers were much larger.

Murders involving guns went up 11.5 percent last year and armed robberies with guns increased by 25 percent, from about 14,300 in 2006 to just under 18,000 last year. Aggravated assaults with firearms also went up, by 8.6 percent.

Even with the slight increase, overall crime in Florida last year was still far below where it was in the 1980s and 1990s. The crime rate last year was 35 percent lower than it was a decade ago.

While it was the first year in more than a decade that the overall crime rate has gone up, violent crimes have been creeping up in Florida for a couple years. In 2007, violent crime increased by just under 2 percent, following a 3 percent increase the year before.

"Making our neighborhoods and communities safe for Floridians and their families is the first priority of government," Gov. Charlie Crist said. "Our state is committed to putting in place tools and technologies that both prevent and deter criminal activity."

Among the statistics released by the FDLE Friday were:

Overall murders were up 6.5 percent.
While gun murders increased by 11.5 percent, murders in which a knife was used dropped by 24 percent.
Overall robberies went up 11.7 percent.
Overall, aggravated assaults were down 1.7 percent.
With population growth factored in, the crime rate went up 1.4 percent.