October 21, 2011….Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Commissioner Gerald Bailey joined local, state and federal criminal justice officials today to announce the 2011 Semi-Annual Uniform Crime Report. The report reflects that crime in Florida declined 2 percent for the first half of the calendar year over the same period last year. Total violent crime (murder, forcible sex offenses, robbery and aggravated assault) is down by 3.2 percent for the first six months of the year, while total non-violent crime (burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft) declined 1.8 percent.

“The decrease in crime volume is yet another sign that Florida is a safe state, and we are open for business,” said Governor Rick Scott. “I commend Florida’s law enforcement agencies as well as our citizens for their commitment and dedication to keeping Floridians and visitors to our state safe.”

“Thanks to the efforts of law enforcement and Florida's citizens, our state continues to be a safe place to work and live,” said Attorney General Bondi. “I am proud to recognize their dedication to protecting our citizens and visitors.”

The report also showed a 3.1 percent decrease in the number of murders, a 4.3 percent decrease in robberies, a 3.4 percent decrease in aggravated assault, a 1.6 percent decrease in burglary, a 1.2 percent decrease in larceny, and a 9.4 percent decrease in motor vehicle thefts. The number of forcible sex offenses increased 1.1 percent. Domestic violence offenses declined 0.6 percent.

“These first six months’ results are a strong indicator of what we will see for 2011, and the downward trend of Florida’s crime numbers is a positive sign,” said Commissioner Bailey. “We’re aggressively working to safeguard our streets and communities.”

The report also contains information on officers killed feloniously. Five officers died from criminal causes during the first half of the year; two were officers with the Miami-Dade Police Department and three were officers with the St. Petersburg Police Department.

The report includes data submitted by 409 of the state’s 416 law enforcement agencies, which represent 99.2 percent of the total population of the state. The report reflects crime volume only; crime rate, which takes into account population, is calculated in the annual report. The complete 2011 Semi-Annual Uniform Crime Report, including county-by-county breakdowns, can be found on FDLE’s website at www.fdle.state.fl.us/fsac/ucr/.

For Further Information Contact:
Heather Smith, Keith Kameg or Kristi Gordon
FDLE Office of Public Information
(850) 410-7001