The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program released their annual report on Monday. The 2010 data shows a continuing downward trend in violent crimes while drug arrests remain high despite the Obama administration’s previously stated wish to change the nation’s drug enforcement policies.
Drug offenses made up the majority of arrests nationwide, with a total of about 1.6 million. A whopping 81.9% of those were for possession, rather than sale or manufacturing. Marijuana offenses led the pack with 45.8% of all drug arrests being for marijuana possession.
Overall, violent crime has been declining since 2006 despite the economic downturn, with 2010’s roughly 552,000 reported arrests for violent crime 6% below the previous year’s number. Of violent crimes, 1.2% were murder and 6.8% were “forcible rape,” while aggravated assaults made up the bulk of those arrests with 62.5% of the total.
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