On Monday, the FBI released Crime in the United States, 2013, a report detailing the estimated crimes in the United States last year.
The data is submitted voluntarily by law enforcement agencies at all levels throughout the country, and is compiled into the report by the Bureau’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program.
“The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program is critical to decision making. In 2013, more than 18,400 agencies provided the FBI with meaningful data to help gauge the level of crime in our country,” said James B. Comey, Director of the FBI. “Law enforcement, government officials, and others in turn used that data to make decisions—to plan and allocate resources that help fight crime and enforce the law.”
The report shows a nationwide 4.4% decline in violent crimes in 2013 when compared to the previous year.
Maine also shows a decline in the number of violent crimes, from 1,626 to 1,615—amounting to a difference of .7% from 2012. In 2013, the violent crime rate in Maine was 1.2 per 1,000 people. Property crimes also declined by 8.8%.
Maine’s violent crime statistics are solidly below most of its neighboring states, with the violent crime rate 40.6 % lower than the New England average. Massachusetts leads the charge, with a rate of 4%, but is followed closely by Connecticut (2.5%) and Rhode Island (2.4%).
Maine’s violent crime statistics are comparatively low, with the national average being 3.7 violent crimes per 1,000 people. In fact, according to the data, Maine was the state with the second lowest number of violent crimes in the nation. Only one state, Vermont, had a lower rate, at 1.1%.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="9826 http://www.themainewire.com/?p=9826">5 Comments
In Vermont, you can carry concealed without a permit. Maybe that has something to do with the low crime rate.
Second highest percentage of gun ownership too! An armed society is a polite society.
Hmmm. Maine has one of the highest percentages of gun ownership in the nation. Vermont has no laws against concealed carry. Is there a correlation here?
Second highest percentage of gun ownership too! An armed society is a polite society.
I’m not politically correct so I’m just going to say it: we have a very,very small black population.I am comparing us to big urban areas :large black population,many broken families,high unemployment,and gangs.