CRIME DOWN LOCALLY AND IN STATE

Serious crime is continuing to decline in Kentucky, and that's good news.

Even better news is the fact that after increasing locally in 1997, the
latest edition of "Crime in Kentucky," a compilation of data by Kentucky
State Police, indicates that serious crime in Winchester and Clark County
dropped during 1998.

Granted, both state and local statistics still are far too high, and most
likely always will be high, because there simply are not enough law
enforcement officers to be everywhere at once to prevent all crime from
occurring. Nor would anyone want to live in a virtual police state. Still,
we're grateful for the progress being shown, and hopefully the next report
will show a continuation of the downward trend.

According to the just-released statistics, Kentucky recorded 123,914
serious crimes in 1998, or one every four minutes and 14 seconds. In 1997,

Kentucky had 125,-366 serious crimes, one every four minutes, 11 seconds.
One murder was committed every 36 hours and 58 minutes in 1998, and
although still high, the record was better than 1997 when a murder was
committed every 34 hours and 37 minutes. Fewer rapes also were committed in
1998, one every seven hours and 55 minutes compared to one every seven
hours and 36 minutes the previous year. A robbery occurred somewhere in the
state every two hours and 32 minutes in 1998, compared to one every two
hours and 15 minutes in 1997.

That's the good news. The bad news is that 42,100 persons were arrested for
driving under the influence in 1998, up significantly from 35,337 in 1997.

A total of 25,560 drug arrests were made in 1998, up from 22,239 in 1997.
Overall, 278,-984 arrests were made in 1998, up from 273,931 the previous year.

Locally, a total of 1,042 serious crimes were reported here in 1998, down
from 1,197 in 1997. Both years saw one murder, three rapes and 12 robberies
reported. As-saults, however, increased from 28 incidents in 1997 to 39 in
1998. Burglaries dropped significantly, from 260 incidents in 1997 to 208
in 1998, while larcenies fell from 831 in 1997 to 714 in 1998. Auto thefts
increased by two, to 64 in 1998. One arson was reported here in 1998, the
first year for which such data was compiled.

Overall arrests locally were up, as they were across the state. A total of
2,641 arrests were recorded in 1998, up from 2,570 in 1997. Of those, 198
were for serious crimes, paced by 95 arrests for larceny-theft, 41 for
burglary and 39 for aggravated assault. However, in 1997, 214 arrests were
made here for serious crimes, including 94 for larceny-theft, 55 for
burglary and 37 for aggravated assault. Arrests for less serious crimes
fraud, forgery and counterfeiting, buying and receiving stolen property,
driving under the influence, drunkenness, etc. were up, 2,443 in 1998
compared to 2,356 in 1997.

Total drug arrests were down slightly, from 153 in 1997 to 146 in 1998. The

majority of the arrests were for marijuana, 106 incidents, compared to 94
in 1997, followed by 22 arrests for opium or cocaine (34 in 1997), and 18
for other dangerous non-narcotic drugs, down from 25 in 1997.

Arrests for driving under the influence also dipped, from 408 in 1997 to
396 in 1998. Of those, seven were juveniles, slightly less than the nine
arrests reported in 1997. Drunkenness arrests dropped dramatically, from
707 in 1997 to 406 in 1998. The number of juveniles charged with
drunkenness fell by half, from eight in 1997 to four in 1998.

Even with an improved record for 1998, crime still is of society's most
serious problems locally, in Kentucky and across the nation. While we
cannot prevent every crime, we can certainly discourage some would-be
criminals. We can do so by locking our homes and vehicles at all times, by
not leaving valuable items in unattended vehicles, by engraving our
valuables and in general making it more difficult for criminals to steal
from us.

Moreover, our courts can and must make it clear that lawlessness in any
form will not be tolerated. And it does so by dealing swiftly and firmly
with those who break the law. Perhaps then would-be criminals think twice
before breaking the law!