HPD report shows The number of reported rapes and assaults on Oahu increased in 2001 even though the overall crime rate decreased slightly from a year earlier, according to figures compiled by the Honolulu Police Department.
rape on rise
FBI figures show an increase
in assaults on Oahu as wellBy Rod Antone
rantone@starbulletin.com
The statistics are a part of HPD's annual report and compiled by using figures from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program.Rape increased by 22 percent in 2001, to 293 cases from 240 cases the year before, while assault cases increased by 27 percent to 1,341 from 1,058, according to the data.
Auto theft increased by 7.3 percent last year. However, that was significantly less than the more than 30 percent increase the year before. There were 5,597 reported thefts in 2001 compared with 5,214 in 2000.
The area from Red Hill to Village Park remains the most active location on Oahu for auto thieves with 1,188 cases reported last year, down from the 1,211 cases in 2000.
Property crimes such as burglaries and theft also increased, burglary by 5.6 percent and theft by 2.6 percent. Violent crimes such as robbery increased by 2.6 percent while the number of murders, 20 reported cases, remained the same.
Overall, the number of violent crimes and property crimes last year increased by almost 5 percent, to 48,989 reported cases from 46,659.
However, the total number of crimes -- which includes misdemeanor offenses such as disorderly conduct -- decreased by less than 1 percent, to 115,003 in 2001 from 115,076 in 2000.
The percentage of cases being solved or resolved has dropped as well, with 39.1 percent "cleared" in 2001 vs. 44.3 percent in 2000.
Besides providing statistical information, the police department's annual report also details HPD's activities, programs and accomplishments throughout the year. Though HPD has compiled its crime index numbers for 2001, the report itself is still being completed and will not be released until later this month.