Reports of violent crimes down in city

CRIME, FROM A-1 more fewer crimes crimes committed.reported or Despite the increase, aggravatedincreased nationallyassaults, whichby 6.3 The Washington Post reported percent and 4.6 percent, respectively. that American In Pittsburgh, streets remain safe relative those percentages dropped to recent years. The rate of almost 10 and 11 points, respectively. murder and manslaughter per per 100,000 100,000 people people (excluding(excluding The city experienced negligent manslaughter) negligible changes in property increased to 4.9 last crime, larceny-theft year from 4.4 in 2014, which and motor vehicle thefts. was the fewest of any year The only substantial increase since at least 1961. In 1980, here was in burglaries, the rate exceeded 10 killings up more than 3 percent. per 100,000. Again, that data was the “We still have so much opposite of national trends, work to do,” Attorney which saw property crime General Loretta Lynch drop 3 percent and burglaries said about the report. “It is decline almost 8 percent. important to remember It was the 13th that while crime did increase straight year of declines in overall last year, property crimes nationwide. 2015 still represented the third-lowest third-lowest year year for for violentviolent Robberies increased nationally crime in the past two (up 1.4 percent) but decades.” decreased in Pittsburgh Pittsburgh police officials (down 13 percent). couldn’t be reached

The different directions for comment on the new of the data is difficult for numbers. City of Pittsburgh experts to explain. A number Local comparisons in of variables come into violent crimes from 2014 play, such as population to 2015 included Violent Murder/ shifts, hot spots in other cities, Homestead (58/45); and the inconsistentPopulation reporting crime McKeesport manslaughter (384/379);Rape of law enforcement Monroeville (97/70); Plum ag2e0n1c4ies as s3m07a,l6le1r3 depar2t-,455(76/576);9 Ross (29/17)9;1and ments often lack the re- Swissvale (65/33). Philadelphia so2u0r1c5es to 3c0o6l,l8e7c0t data2.,167 57 saw an increase82 Elsewhere, differences in from 15,925 violent crimes definitions of offenses — to 16,132. along with political reasons for understating the extent of crime — can skew the figures. Some analysts question whether more police presence results in