STATE CRIMINOLOGY REPORT Name: Grade Course: Tutor`s Name: (12, November, 2010) State Criminology Report In the Commonwealth Virginia, there was a decline in the crime rate by 19 percent from 1999 to 2008. This trend was almost similar to the national crime in USA where the decline was by 13 percent. Just like in Virginia the national crime rates has been experiencing a consistent decline (Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), 2009). This is at a slightly higher rate compared to the national crime rate of 13 percent. This paper will analyze the trend in crime rate in Virginia in the span of ten years that occurred between 1999 and 2008. In addition the paper will analyze the nature of the crimes and highlights on the events which might have contributed to the decrease. This analysis will satisfy the need to have accurate data on crime as a base from which to develop strategies to fight crime. With this knowledge, the community can know how and where to assist in prevention and deterrence of criminal activities through social activities that are instigated by the community. The breakdown in Crime Rates A comparison by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) on the crime rates between Virginia and other states between 1999 and 2008 ranked Virginia at position 41 and 39 out of the 50 states for violent crime rate and property crime rate respectively. The state rated No. 1 was the state with the highest crime rate and no. 50 as one with the least crime rate. There was a 5.1 percent decline in Virginia, as compared to 3 percent nationwide from 2007 to 2008 alone. The violent crimes include murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault. There was a decline in the crime rate by offense in the ten years between 1999 and 2008, in addition, the murder rate declined by 13 percent, forcible rape by 2.6 percent and aggravated assault rate by 22.9 percent. However there was an increase in the rate of robbery which increased by 1.3 percent. This robbery crime rate was however curbed in 2008 and there was a decline in robberies by 3.4 percent between 2007 and 2008. The report identified that there was a 15 percent property index crime rate from 1999 to 2008. The State normally has two sources of data, the FBI and DCJS. The FBI data indicated that there was a 6 percent decrease in the drug arrest rate in Virginia as compared to the nation`s 4 percent. The DCJS data however indicated an increase of 3 percent. Hampton Road and Central had the highest drug arrest rates in 1999. There was a decline in both regions but the West Central Region had a higher rate of drug arrests than Central. However Hampton road still had the highest drug arrest rate within the state. There was an increase in the drugs arrest rate in Western Central and Southwest regions. This corresponds with an increase in crime rates in these two regions; this shows that there is a positive correlation between drugs and crime. In 2009...