News (Media Awareness Project) - US VA: Officials: Violent Crime Remains High Across Region |
| Title: | US VA: Officials: Violent Crime Remains High Across Region |
| Published On: | 2004-09-14 |
| Source: | Bluefield Daily Telegraph (WV) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-17 23:53:21 |
OFFICIALS: VIOLENT CRIME REMAINS HIGH ACROSS REGION
TAZEWELL, Va. - According to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft,
violent crime statistics are the lowest in 30 years.
But local prosecutors disagree.
Tazewell County Commonwealth Attorney Dennis Lee said his office
hasn't seen any significant decline in violent crimes. "I've been with
this office for 12 years and we've stayed pretty steady in the numbers
of violent crimes. We've been fortunate enough for murders and
robberies that we haven't had as many as the counties around us and
across the state line. But looking at drug distribution charges, which
are classified as a violent crime, we've seen a significant increase,"
Lee said.
Ashcroft issued a press release Sunday reporting that in 2003, the
violent and property crime rates in the U.S. remained at their lowest
levels in 30 years. In 2002 and 2003, the violent crime rate fell 14
percent from the previous two-year period.
According to Ashcroft, only 7 percent of all violent crimes in 2003
were committed with a firearm, a decrease from 11 percent in 1993. The
per capita rate of non-lethal firearm violence was only 1.9 per 1,000
persons, a two-thirds reduction over 10 years.
During 2002 and 2003, there was an 11 percent drop in rapes and a 27
percent drop in sexual assaults from the previous two-year period.
Robberies were down 21 percent, aggravated assaults were down 20
percent and simple assaults down 11 percent in the same period, the
Attorney General said.
Lee said that according to a publication released by the Virginia
State Police, crime in Tazewell County from 1997-2000 more than
doubled. "I attribute that solely to drug use and more specifically
OxyContin abuse," Lee said.
Crime in general, Lee said, has dropped in Tazewell County since 2000.
"Those are good signs. While every other county in our district, which
includes Buchanan, Russell and Dickenson counties, rose anywhere from
40 percent to 50 percent, our overall crime rate dropped by 18
percent," he said. That also includes property crimes, he said.
TAZEWELL, Va. - According to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft,
violent crime statistics are the lowest in 30 years.
But local prosecutors disagree.
Tazewell County Commonwealth Attorney Dennis Lee said his office
hasn't seen any significant decline in violent crimes. "I've been with
this office for 12 years and we've stayed pretty steady in the numbers
of violent crimes. We've been fortunate enough for murders and
robberies that we haven't had as many as the counties around us and
across the state line. But looking at drug distribution charges, which
are classified as a violent crime, we've seen a significant increase,"
Lee said.
Ashcroft issued a press release Sunday reporting that in 2003, the
violent and property crime rates in the U.S. remained at their lowest
levels in 30 years. In 2002 and 2003, the violent crime rate fell 14
percent from the previous two-year period.
According to Ashcroft, only 7 percent of all violent crimes in 2003
were committed with a firearm, a decrease from 11 percent in 1993. The
per capita rate of non-lethal firearm violence was only 1.9 per 1,000
persons, a two-thirds reduction over 10 years.
During 2002 and 2003, there was an 11 percent drop in rapes and a 27
percent drop in sexual assaults from the previous two-year period.
Robberies were down 21 percent, aggravated assaults were down 20
percent and simple assaults down 11 percent in the same period, the
Attorney General said.
Lee said that according to a publication released by the Virginia
State Police, crime in Tazewell County from 1997-2000 more than
doubled. "I attribute that solely to drug use and more specifically
OxyContin abuse," Lee said.
Crime in general, Lee said, has dropped in Tazewell County since 2000.
"Those are good signs. While every other county in our district, which
includes Buchanan, Russell and Dickenson counties, rose anywhere from
40 percent to 50 percent, our overall crime rate dropped by 18
percent," he said. That also includes property crimes, he said.
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