RALEIGH -- The State Bureau of Investigation’s 2013 Uniform Crime Report indicates that overall crime in North Carolina has decreased by 7 percent from the previous year, continuing a six-year downward trend.

The overall crime rate per 100,000 people in North Carolina is the state’s lowest since 1974 according to reports submitted to the State Bureau of Investigation from law enforcement agencies across the state. The violent crime rate per 100,000 North Carolinians declined by 5.4 percent in 2013. Among violent crime rates, rape decreased 10.2 percent, robbery dropped 1.9 percent and murder decreased 3.8 percent, while aggravated assault fell 6.4 percent.

The rate of property crimes—burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft—decreased by 7.2 percent statewide. The larceny rate fell 5.9 percent, the motor vehicle theft rate fell 10.9 percent, and the burglary rate fell 9.3. The rate of arson, which is not included in the overall crime rate, fell by 17.7 percent.

Juvenile arrests for index crime offenses are down 11 percent, while adult arrests for those offenses decreased 5.0 percent. Juvenile arrests for all crimes are also down 12 percent, while adult arrests for all crimes are down 8 percent.

Compared to a decade ago, the overall crime rate is down 24.4 percent and the rate of violent crime is down 26.3 percent.

“The SBI’s Crime Reporting Unit compiles these figures from law enforcement agencies statewide, including campus police and state park rangers,” Acting Director B.W. Collier said. “While we welcome this downward trend, law enforcement needs to remain vigilant on many fronts as we see more gang activity and possible terrorist threats.” In other statistics, SBI agents last year investigated 561 meth labs, a record number for North Carolina. More than eight out of 10 of those investigations involved a one-pot method for manufacturing where all the ingredients are mixed together in a plastic drink bottle.

Prescription drug overdoses kill more than 1,000 people in North Carolina each year. To combat overdose deaths, the SBI has for several years collected the equivalent of 10 million dosage units of unused prescription drugs through Operation Medicine Drop, a voluntary pill take-back program.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent the SBI’s Computer Crimes Unit more than 2,000 CyberTipline reports in 2013 to investigate possible online child pornography and exploitation cases. North Carolina crime statistics are provided by the SBI as part of the Uniform Crime Reporting Program, a nationwide effort administered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The SBI’s Uniform Crime Report’s Annual Summary can be found here: https://www.ncdps.gov/div/SBI/2013AnnualSummary.pdf 

 

Contact: Tim Parker
Phone: (919) 662-4500