Violent Crime Is Down in U.S.

Well, this is good news. The number of violent crimes in the U.S. dropped in 2009 for the third consecutive year, according to statistics released by the FBI on Monday. Violent crime fell 5.3 percent in 2009, which includes a 7.3 percent decline in murders, an 8 percent drop in robberies, a 4.2 percent decline in aggravated assaults, and a 2.6 percent drop in rapes. There were 15,241 murders in 2009, the lowest number since 1969. In New York City, violent crime dropped 4 percent, and it saw a 10 percent drop in murders. Violent crime also fell in Arizona—by nearly 14 percent—despite claims by local officials that illegal immigrants have caused higher crime rates.