Evening star., 1960-03-17
Record Crime Rise
Is Reported in DC.
Serious Offenses
Increase 21.7%
In SO, FBI Says
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG
Star STAFF Writer

Serious crime in Washington
during 1859 scared to a 21.7 per
cent increase over the previous
year, the FBI's Uniform Crime
Records showed today.
1t was the biggest increase in
any year since Washington
adopted its present crime re-
porting system a dozen years
ago.
The increase, reflected in all
major crime categorieS except
murder, came at a time when
city crime throughout the Ma
ton showed only a l per cent
increase.
While Washington was re-
cording its biggest annual in
crease, the other four cities in
the same 100000 to l million
population group - Baltimore.
Cleveland, st. Louis and Hous-
ton - showed an overall de-
crease Of 4 per cent.
Different Figures
The FBI figures show a big
ger increase for Washington
than the 15.9 per cent increase
reported by the Washington
Police Department to the Com
miSsioners. 1t was explained
that the FBI figures exclude
petty larceny, carnal knowledge
and negligent homicide which
are included in the Washington
Police Departments own cal
cula tions.
1t was also noted that the
ga per cent decrease caculated
for Washington in the FBI's
report of the previous year did
not represent an actual decrease
in crime, but resulted from sub
tracing old unfounded reports
from current offenSes.
The closest Washington ever
came to such a sharp crime in
crease in a single year was in
l952-the peak year of serious
crime here-when crime in
creased by POT per cent over
1851, excluding petty larceny.
These are the crime compare
sons reported for Washington:
Murder and n-negligent
manslaughter-74 cases in both
1859 and 1858.
Forcible rape-87 cases in
1859. compared with So the
previous year, or an increase
of so per cent.
Robbery-693 cases in 1859,
compared with 639 in 1858, or
an increase of, 8.4 per cent.
Aggravated assault - 1855
cases in 1859, compared with
1929 the previous year, or an
increase of 22.6 per cent.
Burglary-4,189 cases in 1859,
compared with 1916 in the
previous year, or an increase
of 1858 per cent.
Larceny of over $50-1,930
cases in 1859. compared with
1.548 in 1858. or an increase of
PAT per cent.
Auto theft-1.958 in 1859,
compared with l,723 in 1858, or
an increase Of 1876 per cent.
The serious crime total rose
from 9,687 to l1,787 for the
2l.7 per cenC increase.
... Changes in Nation
Il In city crime throughout the
Nation, the FBI reported, ag-
gravated assault was up by
2 per cent; murder up by 5 per
cent, rape up by 4 per cent;
robbery down by 4 per cent,
auto theft up BY 2 per cent,
major larcenies up by l per
cent. B usr 81 ary showed no
noticeable change.
The FBI also reported that
arrests for all ofenseS reported
by police showed a IL per cent
increase in 1859 over 1858.
Adult arrests showed no change,
but arrests Of. persons under 18
continued their upward climb,
rising 5 per cent in 1859 over
the previous year.
Arlington. Va, was the only
other jurisdiction in the Wash
ington Metropolitan Area re-
porting. Arlington reported five
murders, II cases of forcible
rape, SO cases of robbery, 81
cases Of aggravated assault, 464
burglaries, 583 larcenies of over
$50 and 226 cases of auto theft.