Islandwide, crime was reported down throughout the state except on Maui, which recorded an increase of 8.4 percent.

Aggravated assault on Maui recorded a 60 percent increase with 56 incidents.

As for the other islands, Oahu reported a 5.1 percent decrease in crime, Kauai a drop of 4.4 percent, and the Big Island registered a dip of 5.7 percent.

In the first half of 1996, the number of violent crimes dropped 0.5 percent compared to the same period a year ago.

Pleased with the reported drop in the state's crime rate, Attorney General Margery Bronster said her office is "working very hard in the Legislature this year to assure that this trend continues."

Bronster said violent crimes - murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault - accounted for 4 percent of all reported crimes.

The number of robberies climbed 5.6 percent in the first six months of 1996, going from 754 cases in 1995 to 796 a year later.

The value of property stolen last year also climbed by 5 percent from $37.4 million in 1995, to $39.3 million in 1996.

Of that amount in 1996, 23 percent or about $9.2 million worth of stolen goods was recovered, compared to $7 million in 1995.

Total arrests and arrests for violent crimes decreased 6 percent among adults, according to the attorney general's semi-annual crime summary. Total juvenile arrests decreased 9 percent, but juvenile arrests for violent offenses increased by 23 percent.

The report said that for the first six months of 1996 in the violent offenses category:

Robbery accounted for 47.7 percent (796 incidents).

Aggravated assault, 42.1 percent (703 incidents).

Rape, 9 percent (150 incidents).

Murder, 1.1 percent (19 incidents).