Evening star., 1954-04-20
District Crime
Drops as Rate
Rises in Nation
Drive by Police
Credited as FBI
Reveals II Pct. Cut

Crime in Washington dropped
sharply last year, while it con.
tinued to soar in the Nation as a
whole. the FBI said today.
The number of major crimes
here dropped IL per cent last
year, the first decrease in many
years. In the Nation, crime
continued its steady climb Of the
past few years, with an increase
OF 6 per cent for 1858.
Police credited two main fac
tors:
An intense effort to wipe out
the Capitals reputation as q
haven for criminals.
Restoration of previously cut
funds and an increase in the
number of policemen.
Expects Greater Improvement.
Police Chief Robert v. Murray
said the mid-year report on
crime should show an even
greater improvement. He pointed
out that funds cut from the po-
lice budget were restored as of
last July /. giving an opportunity
for police to work more man
hours and hire more men.
The FBI figures showed a
slight increase-from 70 to "a
IN murders and non-negligent
manslaughters here in 1858. and
a sharp jump of 1874 per cent IN
auto thefts. All other crimes
classed as major by the FBI de-
creased in number. These in
clude robbery, aggravated as
sault, housebreaking and theft.
"The omnibus crime bill has
been most helpful in assisting
police in the reduction and pre-
vention of crime" Chief Murray
said. Also, we have had excel
lent cooperation from the United
States Attorneys Office. Heavier
sentences handed down by the
courts in more serious cases and
for repeated offenders has been
of great assistance"
The statistics were listed in
the FBI's semi-annual Uniform
Crime Reports" The publication
Is based on information furnished
by police departments in cities
throughout the country.
Crime Figures Listed.
They showed a drop in major
crimes in the District from "a, $50
in 1852 to Fl 1927 last year. In the
various categorieS. there were
these comparisons:
Murder and non-negligent
manSlaughter-74, up 3 per cent:
nationally. down IL per cent.
Robbery-9O4, down 4 per cent;
nationally. up 8.5 per cent.
Aggravated Ssault 1921.
down 1.6 per cent; nationally, up
5.3 per cent.
Housebreaking-4,580, down is
per cent; nationally, up 8.2 per
cent.
Thefts-9,688. down 15.9 per
cent; nationally, up 5.4 per cent.
Auto theft-2,06O, up 1874 per
cent: nationally. up So per cent.
The FBI's report showed about
the same number of crimes in
ARLINGTON County in 1853 as in
the previous year-1,823 COM
pared with 1926. The same was
true for Alexandria, with a drop
Of 10 in the number of major
crimes there last year. The fig
ures showed 1904 crimes in 1852
and 1894 last year.
Crime Rate Growing.
Nationally. the FBI said, crime
is outstripping the rate of popu-
lation growth 4 to !.
Major crimes reached a new
high of 2,159,080 in 1883" the
report stated. "The 6 per cent
increase over the previous high
in 1852 was supported by in
creases in all crime classes ex-
cept murder, down IL per cent"
The FBI said property loss
from crime last year was more
than $400 million. More than
$4,000 stolen cars, valued at $l4
million. remained unrecovered
at the end of the veal.
OF the 1.8 million arrests re-
ported IN 1853. 81 per cent we're
juveniles-17 years old or young.
er. In the case OF auto thefts.
53.6 per cent of all persons ar
rested were juveniles-29 per
cent not old enough to get q
drivers permit
Nearly half of those arrested
for HOUSEKEEPING throughout
the country had not yet turned
l8. and two-thirds OF those were
under l6.
Persons under 81 represented
slightly more than half the total
arrested for crimes against prop
erty-such as robbery. burglary.
larceny auto theft. embezzle-
ment and fraud, buying and re-
ceivlng stolen property. and
forgery and counterfeiting.
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