Violent crime rose slightly in 2006, FBI says

By Tamara Barak

June 5, 2007

Violent crime in the U.S. increased slightly in 2006, and the Bay Area was no exception, according to preliminary statistics released by the FBI yesterday.

Nationally, violent crime increased 1.3 percent when compared to data from 2005, according to the FBI. However, property crime decreased 2.9 percent for the same time period.

Murders increased most dramatically in the nation's biggest cities, according to the FBI. In cities with populations of more than a million people, the homicide rate swelled 6.7 percent in 2006. By contrast, murders decreased by 11.9 percent in non-metropolitan counties, the FBI reported.

Forcible rape fell by 1.9 percent nationally in 2006.

The FBI also released in its report crime statistics for Bay Area cities with more than 100,000 residents.

Violent crime, which includes murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault, increased in 2006 in the following cities: Antioch, Berkeley, Concord, Daly City, Fairfield, Fremont, Hayward, Oakland, Richmond, Salinas, San Francisco and San Jose.

Only three Bay Area cities included in the FBI report boasted falling violent crime rates in 2006 - Santa Clara, Santa Rosa and Sunnyvale.

Complete statistics for 2005 were not available for Vallejo.

Property crimes, which include burglary, larceny, auto theft and arson, fell in 2006 for Antioch, Berkeley, Concord, Fairfield, Richmond and Sunnyvale.

The property crime rate increased in Santa Rosa, Santa Clara, San Jose, San Francisco, Salinas, Daly City, Fremont, Hayward and Oakland.

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