Pubdate: Mon, 17 May 1999 Source: United Press International Copyright: 1999 United Press International MAJOR CRIME CONTINUES TO DECLINE WASHINGTON, - Serious crime in the United States, which rose to record heights with the advent of crack cocaine in American cities in the 1980s, has dropped for the seventh year in a row. In a report released Sunday evening, the FBI says preliminary figures in the nationwide Uniform Crime Report show all serious crime decreased 7 percent in 1998, as opposed to 1997. The drop reflected a 7 percent decline in both violent and property crime. Varying decreases were reported in all the nation's regions. The preliminary figures also show robbery had the greatest decline, 11 percent; murder, 8 percent, and forcible rape (as distinguished from statutory rape committed by an adult on a minor) and aggravated assault, 5 percent each. Last week, Attorney General Janet Reno attributed some of the decrease in violent crimes to the Brady Law, which she said has stopped a quarter-million illegal handgun sales since its implementation in 1995. In property crime, reported motor vehicle thefts were down 10 percent, followed by burglary and arson, 7 percent each; and larceny-thefts, 6 percent. All the country's regions showed a continuing pattern of fewer reported crimes. The Northeast and West reported the greatest declines in all types of serious crime, with 8 percent each. The South reported a 6 percent drop; the Midwest, 4 percent. In violent crime alone, the West was down 9 percent; the Northeast and the South, 7 percent each, and the Midwest, 4 percent. All regions also reported a drop in murders. The Northeast and West recorded the greatest drop at 11 percent each; the South, 7 percent, and the Midwest, 5 percent. Property crime also decreased 8 percent in both the Northeast and the West, while the South saw a 6 percent drop and the Midwest, 4 percent. City groups of all sizes reported decreases. Serious crime declined by 8 percent in cities with populations between 250,000 and just under 1 million. The smallest decreases in this category were recorded by cities of under 10,000. Suburban counties saw a 7 percent drop; rural counties, 5 percent. The complete preliminary report, available on the Interent, also breaks down crimes by category for particular major cities. For instance, New York City reported serious crime overall dropped from 355, 884 in 1997 to 323,192 last year. Murders in New York City dropped from 770 to 633. Final UCR figures are expected to be published in the fall in the FBI's ``Crime in the United States.'' More than 17,000 city, county and state law enforcment agencies voluntarily report crimes to the program. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea