The Age, 24 Jun 2002 US sees end to falling crime rates Dan Eggen, Washington (Washington Post) The number of major crimes in the US increased in 2001 for the first time in a decades, bringing an end to a fall in violence that had resulted in the lowest crime levels in a generation, according to FBI statistics. The increase included a 3.1% rise in murders reported by police departments nationwide, along with big jumps in robberies, burglaries and car thefts, according to the preliminary FBI survey. Overall, major crime in 2001 rose by 2% on the year before. The national increase, outlined in the FBI reports to be released today, reverse 9 years of declining crime and is certain to fuel debate on Capitol Hill over proposed cuts in anti-crime measures. Homicides rose sharply in many US cities last y, including a jump of 67% in Boston. The bad news comes amid budget pressures on many local police depts because of rapid declines in the tax revenues collected by state and local govts. In addition, the FBI -- which has been deeply involved in major narcotics and gang investigations -- is in the middle of a reorganisation they will result in less attention to traditional crime and more to tackling terrorism. Police chiefs and criminologists have warned that surges in the number of teenagers and released prisoners, along with recent economic declines, threaten a return to rising crime. "We're probably done seeing declines in crime rates for some time to come", said Jack Riley, director of public safety and justice program at Rand Corp in Santa Monica, Cal. "The question is -- how strong and how fast will those rates be, and what kind of tools do we have at our disposal to get ahead of the curve". The deaths from Sep 11 attacks were excluded from the FBI tallies. If those deaths were counted as homicides, the FBI said, the number of murders would have increased by 26% from 2000. Criminologists are divided over what cause crime rates to rise, although most believe that economics and demographics play crucial roles. Mr Riley and other crime experts said last year's resurgence could be explained, at least in part, by a stagnant economy. In addition, the number of inmates released from state and federal prisons last y rose to more than 600K as many convicted during the crack-cocaine epidemic of the late 1980s returned to the streets, according to federal estimates. Police officials are also concerned about an ongoing increase in the teenage population, which has historically been the age group most likely to commit crimes. Most of the crime increase in 2001 was driven by jumps in various property crimes -- led by car thefts up 6% -- while the number of violent crimes rose by less than 1%. Homicides rose sharply in many US cities including a jump of 67% in Boston and double-digit percentages in Houston, Atlanta, St Louis, and Phoenix. Murders also increased in Chicago and LA but fell in New York. ===