FBI says crime down in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines

The F-B-I has released an analysis of crime statistics for Iowa’s two largest cities. The F-B-I has issued a crime report for U.S. cities with a population of 100-thousand or above. The crime stats show a nearly 10 percent reduction in violent crimes in Cedar Rapids between 2002 and 2003. The violent crime rate in Des Moines declined by 10-point-six percent during that period. There were about 20 percent fewer rapes reported in the two cities in 2003 compared to the year before. Four people were murdered in Cedar Rapids last year; Des Moines had eight murders. The F-B-I statistics also show a dip in property crimes in the year-to-year comparison. The feds won’t release statewide crime data won’t be released ’til this fall. The Iowa Department of Public Safety will likely issue its own analysis of 2003 crime data by late summer.