Statewide results are mixed, a survey
says, but on Oahu, both types
of crime declined

By Jaymes Song
Star-Bulletin

Serious violent crimes reported in Hawaii for the first six months of 1997 rose to the highest levels in the past 11 years, according to the attorney general's 1997 Semi-Annual Crime Summary, which was released today.

The state's violent crimes, which include murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, increased 3.8 percent compared with the same period in 1996, the report stated.

Serious violent crimes made up 5 percent of the total number of reported serious offenses. The number of reported violent offenses were 1,668 for January-June 1996, compared with 1,731 for the same time last year.

The total number of serious crimes, including property crimes, decreased 10.4 percent statewide. In Honolulu, serious crimes decreased by 14.2 percent.

Maui County's violent crimes jumped 44.4 percent, and the number of violent crimes reported in Hawaii County increased 27.9 percent.

Violent crimes on Kauai decreased 1.4 percent.

Honolulu was the only county to post a drop in violent crimes, 1.4 percent, and property crimes, 14.8 percent.

Honolulu Police Department spokesman Brandon Stone said the decrease could be caused by a number of things, including community policing, the court system, more incarcerated inmates and more school and drug-prevention programs.

"All those things make a positive influence," Stone said. "Luckily, it's working in the right way."

"We are encouraged to see another big decrease in property crime. However, while violent crime remains comparatively quite low in Hawaii, we are concerned about the recent increase in violent offenses," stated Attorney General Margery Bronster in the report.

The report said the number of forcible rapes increased 20 percent statewide and 12 percent in Honolulu.

Adriana Ramelli, the director of Sex Abuse Treatment Center at Kapiolani Hospital, said the number of sexual assault victims has remained steady for the past few years.

However, many people who are sexually assaulted don't seek help, she said.

Serious property crimes statewide decreased 11 percent, according to the report.

Those crimes included burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft.