California Crime Statistics Released
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Violent crime is down in California.
The state Department of Justice report found a 3.4% drop in violent crime in 2003.
Homicide rates per 100-thousand people were down one-point-five percent.
Forcible rapes were down 4.2%, robbery decreased 3.6% and aggravated assaults were lower by 3.2%.
There also were drops in arson and burglary.
The report found that violent crime rates have dropped more than 48 percent from 1992, the peak year for violent crime in California over the past two decades.
The report also showed an increase in property crime of two percent compared to 2002.
The largest increase was in motor vehicle thefts, which rose 6.7%.
