The Federal Bureau of Investigation has released its final figures on serious crime in 1999. Incidents of murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny, vehicle theft and arson declined 7 percent from 1998 -- the 8th consecutive year that rates have dropped.

• The FBI reported a total of 1.4 million violent crimes in the U.S. last year, as well as 10.2 million property crimes.

• Fifty percent of the violent crimes resulted in arrests -- but only an 18 percent clearance rate for property crimes.

• An estimated 14 million people were arrested last year for both violent and property crimes -- 5 percent fewer than the previous year.

• Forty-five percent of those arrested were under the age of 25, and 17 percent were under the age of 18.

The number of violent crimes last year was 20 percent below the 1995 figure and 21 percent less than 1990 totals. The number of property crimes in 1999 was 15 percent below the 1995 total, and 19 percent fewer than 1990 levels.

Source: Jerry Seper, "FBI Reports Drop in Serious Crime Continues for 8th Consecutive Year," Washington Times, October 16, 2000.

For FBI report
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/99cius.htm