The overall number of crimes in Pennsylvania reported to the Pennsylvania State Police through the Uniform Crime Reporting system decreased 1.2 percent in 2012, with violent crimes declining 1.4 percent from last year.

The statistics are included in the 2012 Uniform Crime Report available online through the Public Services link at www.psp.state.pa.us.

The total number of crimes reported in 2012 was 917,029, compared to the 928,145 crimes reported in 2011, and 931,606 crimes reported in 2010.

The annual report is based on crime statistics submitted to the Pennsylvania State Police by law enforcement agencies throughout Pennsylvania for the year 2012.

The number of violent crimes, which are murder, non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault, dropped overall from 46,032 in 2011 to 45,394 last year. Property crimes, which are burglary, larceny/theft, motor vehicle theft and arson, also decreased, and are down 2 percent from 283,825 in 2011 to 278,079 in 2012.

The number of Crime Index offenses, which are those considered most likely to be reported to police and are used nationally as a basis for comparing criminal activity, decreased 1.9 percent from 329,857 in 2011 to 323,473 last year. Crime Index offenses are murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny/theft, motor vehicle theft and arson.

The breakdown of reported Crime Index offenses for 2012 is as follows:
– Murders increased 10.5 percent from 639 to 706;
– Forcible rapes increased 1.1 percent to 3,366;
– Robberies declined 2.5 percent to 15,732;
– Aggravated assaults down 1.3 percent to 25,589;
– Burglaries decreased 1.2 percent to 57,017;
– Larcenies/thefts decreased 1.5 percent to 204,381;
– Motor vehicle thefts fell 11.2 percent to 14,940; and
– Arsons declined 2.0 percent to 1,741.

The UCR also includes figures on 18 other types of crime, known as Part II offenses. Those reported offenses dropped by .8 percent in 2012, from 598,271 in 2011 to 593,537. Included in the Part II violations are reported incidents of vandalism – down 4.8 percent to 94,682, and reported liquor law violations are down 6.1 percent to 14,449.

Other statistics from the 2012 UCR include:
– Reported hate crime victims increased slightly from 73 in 2011 to 80 last year. Hate crime incidents are those motivated by bias against an individual or group based on race, color, religion or national origin;
– The number of assaults on police officers in Pennsylvania decreased 2.6 percent to 2,413 last year;
– Driving under the influence offenses declined 1.9 percent. There were 50,799 arrests in 2012. Persons arrested for driving under the influence offenses were predominantly male, 75.3 percent.

The commonwealth’s UCR system is a web-based system through which law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania enter monthly data directly into a state police database. Citizens can go to the website and view the data as soon as it is submitted.

The UCR annual report does not explain the reasons for any increase or decrease in particular crimes. Its purpose is to help criminal justice agencies adjust their efforts and resources.

The numbers listed in the 2012 Uniform Crime Report are subject to change as police departments update or review their reports.

The report is dedicated to all Pennsylvania law enforcement officers and, in particular, to the following officers who lost their lives in the performance of duty during 2012: Patrolman Avery Freeman, Chester Police Department; Police Officer Moses Walker Jr., Philadelphia Police Department; Police Officer Bradley M. Fox, Plymouth Township Police Department; and Trooper First Class Blake T. Coble, Pennsylvania State Police.