COLUMBUS – While the rate of violent crimes increased in the nation and in Ohio last year, it dropped in Columbus and the murder rate fell dramatically, according to data released by the FBI Monday.
The FBI’s annual Crime in the United States report shows an increase of 3.8 percent in violent crime nationwide, but only a 2.3 percent increase in Ohio, and a decline of 0.5 percent in Columbus from 2014 to 2015.
Violent crime rate
U.S………………………+3.0%
Ohio……………………+2.2%
Columbus……………-0.5%
Murder (and non-negligent manslaughter)
U.S. …………………….+10.0%
Ohio……………………+7.6%
Columbus………….. -9.2%
Aggravated Assault
U.S……………………..+3.7%
Ohio……………………+6.9%
Columbus……………-10.1%
Rape
U.S……………………….+4.3%
Ohio…………………….-1.7%
Columbus…………….+7.0%
Robbery
U.S………………………..+0.6%
Ohio………………………-1.9%
Columbus……………..+4.6%
-Source: FBI, Crime in the United States
The state’s overall violent crime rate has dropped 19.2 percent since 2006 and is lower than the national rate.
The nation’s murder rate increased 10.0 percent and 7.6 percent in Ohio, but fell by 9.2 percent in Columbus. Ohio’s murder rate of 4.3 per 100,000 population is lower than that of the East North Central region and the nation as a whole.
“It is a good sign Ohio is faring better than the national average,” said Ohio Department of Public Safety director John Born.
Ohio was the only state in the East North Central Region to report a decrease in rapes; however, its rate of 44.3 per 100,000 population, is higher than that of the U.S. (38.6 percent).
The report is a compilation of statistics collected by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting program, which is a voluntary nationwide effort of more than 18,000 city, university and college, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies.
Property crimes decreased 6.8 percent in Ohio, while only decreasing 2.6 percent nationwide.