[JURIST] The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) [official website] released [press release] on Monday the Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report [text] documenting that the overall rate of violent crimes has decreased throughout the nation. The report was compiled from information gathered from around 14,000 law enforcement agencies for both 2010 and 2011. Murder and non-negligent manslaughter declined 1.9 percent, and forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault each declined 4 percent. While such crimes decreased in metropolitan counties, the same types increased significantly in cities with populations under 10,000. In terms of property crimes, motor vehicle theft dropped 3.3 percent while larceny theft dropped 0.9 percent. The same crimes increased in smaller cities.

It is the fifth year in a row that violent crimes decreased. The trend continued from the preliminary semiannual report [text] that the FBI released [JURIST report] in December last year. The report for 2010 showed a decrease of 6.0 percent in violent crime and a decrease of 2.7 percent in property crime compared to 2009 statistics [JURIST reports]. The decrease began after 2006 and 2005 statistics [JURIST reports].