OFFICIALS SAY THE RISE IN DRUGS CAUSE CRIME RATES TO INCREASE

Thursday, August 9, 2001 LITTLE ROCK (AP) -- The nation's top drug
enforcer and Arkansas law officers Wednesday blamed the rise of
methamphetamine use for a 5.2 percent increase last year in violent
crime in Arkansas.

The state has more illegal meth labs per person than any other state,
according to the Arkansas Crime Laboratory.

Law enforcement agencies have seized 536 drug labs in the state so
far this year. Asa Hutchinson, an Arkansan and the new director of
the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, said Wednesday that to
fix the meth problem in Arkansas the agency must focus on problem
nationally. "This is a national problem, but Arkansas is getting hit
particularly hard," Hutchinson said. "I want to have funds to back up
local enforcement and target crime organizations that bring meth into
the state." The Arkansas Crime Information Center released crime
statistics Wednesday. The violent crimes counted were rape, murder,
aggravated assault, and robbery. The property crimes counted were
burglary, theft, vehicle theft and arson. According to figures, the
state's violent crime rate increased 5.2 percent in 2000 from 1999,
while the property crime rate increased 1.5 percent. Overall, the
crime rate in Arkansas increased 1.9 percent.