The FBI 2010 Crime Clock is a startling read. In America last year, a violent crime occurred every 25.3 seconds. Every 6.2 minutes, someone in America was raped. Every 35.6 minutes, someone was murdered.
A property crime – including burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson – occurred every 3.5 seconds in America last year. There was a burglary every 14.6 seconds. Someone’s vehicle was stolen every 42.8 seconds.
Still, 2010 statistics released by the FBI in September show that violent crimes – including murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault – are decreasing in the country: down 6% from 2009; 13.2% below the 2006 level. Likewise, property crimes decreased 2.7% from 2009 and 9.3% since 2006.
With 13,120,947 arrests made nationwide for crimes other than traffic violations in 2010, a little more than half a million were for violent crimes. 1,643,962 were for property crimes. Drug abuse violations resulted in the highest number of arrests. 74.5 percent of those arrested for non-traffic crimes in 2010 were males. Nearly 70% of all people arrested were white.
While violent crimes decreased across the nation as a whole from 2009 to 2010, they increased in the following states: Maine (+2.6%); Massachusetts (+0.2%); New Hampshire (+3.4%); Rhode Island (+0.9%); New York (+1.2%); South Dakota (+23.0%); West Virginia (+5.0%); Alaska (+2.6%); and Hawaii (+0.7%).
Property crime increased from 2009-2010 in: Maine (+3.9%); Massachusetts (+0.5); New Jersey (+1.3); South Dakota (+4.9%); Delaware (+4.3%); District of Columbia (+0.9%); South Carolina (+1.2%); Kentucky (1.6%); Mississippi (+1.4%); Colorado (+0.6%); Idaho (+0.2%); Montana (+1.4%); and Oregon (+0.6%).