SPRINGFIELD, IL - Illinois State Police Acting Director Gene P. Marlin announced today reports of serious crime statewide for the first nine months of the year were down substantially as compared to the same period in 1997.
"Overall, reports of serious crime were down 3.2 percent," said Marlin. "It’s an encouraging indication that the rest of the year will see a continuation of this positive trend in which crime has decreased in six out of the last seven years."
Marlin said the reduction was seen in every category of serious crime. Among violent crimes, robbery decreased 7.6 percent, criminal sexual assault declined 7 percent, murder was down 6.9 percent, and aggravated assault/battery declined 2.2 percent.
Among property crimes, arson was down 9.8 percent, burglary declined 6.7 percent and theft and motor vehicle theft fell 2.1 and 1.1 percent respectively.
Marlin said the decline in Illinois outpaces the most recent crime reports nationwide, which show a 2 percent drop for 1997.
"Our results in Illinois may be a harbinger of things to come on the national level," Marlin said. "But regardless of what happens nationally, it’s good to know that each year Illinois becomes a safer place in which to live and raise our families," he concluded. | 
