Serious crime down in Nevada - with some exceptions

Brendan Riley

Thursday, May 11, 2000 | 10:27 a.m.

CARSON CITY - New FBI statistics show general declines in serious crime in major Nevada cities from 1998 to 1999 - although murders were up in Reno and rapes increased in Las Vegas and Henderson.

The overall decline for the three communities parallels a national trend - although experts have said there are signs the trend is bottoming out.

The FBI's latest report, released this week, said all major types of reported crime were down nationwide, in each region of the nation, and in suburbs, rural areas and in cities of all sizes.

Nationally, the violent crimes of murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault were down a combined 7 percent, led by murder and robbery, both down 8 percent. Rape and assault were down 7 percent each.

The property crimes of burglary, auto theft and larceny-theft also were down a combined 7 percent, led by an 11 percent decline in burglary. Auto theft was down 8 percent, larceny-theft 6 percent.

In Nevada, the combined crime index, including violent and property crimes, was down by 10 percent in the Las Vegas area covered by the Metropolitan Police Department, down 16 percent in Henderson, and down 7 percent in Reno.

Nationally in 1999, murder was down - and Las Vegas followed that pattern, from 116 killings in 1998 to 109 in 1999. Henderson went from three to none - but Reno increased from 10 to 14.

The number of rapes dropped in Reno from 102 in 1998 to 88 in 1999 - but in the same period increased from 501 to 532 in Las Vegas and from 96 to 113 in Henderson.

Robberies dropped in Las Vegas and Reno, but increased in Henderson. Aggravated assaults dropped in Las Vegas and Henderson, but went up in Reno. Burglaries and larceny-thefts decreased in all three communities.

Auto theft went down in Las Vegas and Henderson but went up in Reno. Arson dropped in Las Vegas but went up in both Reno and Henderson from year to year.

"The news of a general decline is certainly welcome," state Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa said Wednesday. "I'd say that the efforts of Nevada's law enforcement community are more coordinated and more cooperative than in any other time I can remember."

Del Papa added that while the FBI list includes most major crimes, high-tech crime is likely to be included in the future because it's increasing so much.

In Washington, D.C., the report prompted Democrats and Republicans to point to anti-crime measures they've championed.

Academic experts added other factors, including some beyond the control of politicians, such as the aging of the baby boomers past crime-prone years.

The preliminary 1999 FBI figures come from more than 17,000 U.S. police agencies. A final report is due in the fall from the FBI, which has been keeping the figures since 1960.