NC WANTED Staff

Posted: Jun 3, 2008
Updated: Jun 3, 2008

ALL COUNTIES — ALL COUNTIES: A report released today by the North Carolina Attorney General's Office marks the second year in a row that the crime rate in the state has increased.

Overall crime rose slightly by .1 percent, while violent crimes dropped by .07 percent, the report stated.

"While no level of crime is acceptable, law enforcement's work to keep the rate of violent crime down is much needed," Attorney General Roy Cooper said. "But as any cop on the beat will tell you, when the economy goes down, crime goes up, and we're troubled to see even a small increase in North Carolina's overall crime rate."

The report also found that the number of murders in North Carolina increased by 8.5 percent, while the number of rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults decreased. Burglaries, larceny and motor vehicle break-ins went up across the state. The number of murders, rapes, robberies aggravated assaults in Wake, Durham, Cumberland and Orange counties decreased.

Despite the slight rise in crime this year, the state's overall crime rate over the past 10 years has fallen nearly 15 percent.

"We cannot rest on our long-term record of falling crime rates," Cooper said. "We must keep pushing for tougher sentences and better technology so law enforcement and prosecutors can stay ahead of the criminals."

Cooper is working to execute more crime-fighting initiatives across the state. He recently established a State Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab in the Triad, which will open in Greensboro later this month and provide more crime scene expertise to local law enforcement in the Triad area. Cooper is also asking legislators to consider increasing the number of firearms experts and field agents at the SBI to help investigate all types of crimes ranging from murder to online predators.

Cooper is pushing for tougher laws to help fight gang crime and channel more funding toward gang prevention programs. There are 14,500 documented gang members in North Carolina.