More Crime In U.S.A.

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31769, 28 August 1968, Page 17

More Crime In U.S.A.

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) WASHINGTON, Aug. 27.

Two out of every 100 persons in the United States run the risk of becoming the victims of a serious crime, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The F.8.1.’s annual report on crime also says the 1967 crime rate —the number' of offences per 100,000 persons —was up by 15 per cent on the 1966 figure. For every 100,000 Americans in 1967 there were 1922 serious crimes and 250 cases of murder and other violence. Each minute there were seven serious crimes and one violent crime, such as murder,

rape or assault with intent to kill.

“The risk of becoming the victim of serious crime increased by 15 per cent in 1967, with almost two victims for each 100 inhabitants,” the F. 8.1. says, adding that there were 3.8 million serious and violent crimes in America last year, a 16.5 per cent increase on the 1966 figure. An F. 8.1. spokesman said today that the crime report included the violence and looting during race riots in the major cities last year, but no specific breakdowns were available.

The increases were roughly' in line with the rising crime rate of previous years. Since 1960, the number of crimes had risen by 89 per cent, while the population had increased by only 10 per cent. The worst crime increases were in the larger cities and suburban areas.

The report says an estimated 12,090 murders were committed last year, the 11 per cent increase being the largest in this decade. Fortyeight per cent of the murders were committeed in the Southern States.

The report says (hat 54 per cent of the murder victims were Negroes, as were 59 per cent of those arrested on murder charges. The use of guns in crimes continued to rise. Sixty-three per cent of the murder victims were shot, and firearms were used in 21 per cent of the aggravated assaults and in more than 63 per cent of the armed robberies.

Apparently reflecting the violence during last summer’s riots, the report says that 67 policemen were killed last year, substantially above the annual average of 48 over the previous sijf years.