North Carolina Department of Justice State Bureau of Investigation CRIME IN NORTH CAROLINA 2005 We ?mjHCAmlibrary of RALBGH Uniform Crime Report Roy Cooper Robin P. Pendergraft Attorney General SBI Director State of North Carolina Uniform Crime Report 2005 Annual Report Roy Cooper Attorney General Department of Justice Robin P. Pendergraft Director State Bureau of Investigation i ! Introduction Please Note Figures used in this report are submitted voluntarily by law enforcement agencies throughout North Carolina. Individuals using these tabulations are cautioned against drawing conclusions by making direct comparisons between cities due to the existence of numerous factors which affect the amount and type of crime from place to place. Some of these factors are listed in this report. More valid use can be made of these figures by determining deviations from state averages and through comparisons with averages for cities in similar population groups. It is important to remember that crime is a social problem and, therefore, a concern of the entire community. The efforts of law enforcement are limited to factors within its control. Prepared By State Bureau of Investigation Research and Planning Section 3320 Gamer Road Raleigh, North Carolina 27610 1-888-498-9429 (919) 662-4500 http://sbi.jus.state.nc.us Issued April, 2007 A special note of acknowledgment and gratitude is extended to the North Carolina's Govemor's Crime Commission for generously providing the funding for printing and distribution of this publication and to the over 500 law enforcement agencies throughout North Carolina whose efforts have made this data available. This publication, printed by N.C. Justice Academy, Salemburg, North Carolina, is issued by the North Carolina Department of Justice, State Bureau of Investigation. There have been 600 copies printed at an approximate cost of $1,842 or $3.07 per copy. Copies have been deposited with the North Carolina State Publications Clearinghouse of the Division of State Library, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. ii Crime in North Carolina - 2005 Introduction Preface I am pleased to provide you with the 32nd edition of Crime in North CaroHna. This document is based upon monthly offense and arrest reports compiled by law enforcement agencies across the state. In 2005, the overall crime rate in North Carolina decreased by 0.4 percent when compared with the 2004 rate. The number of property crimes (burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft) committed per 100,000 people fell by 0.9 percent, while the number of violent crimes (robbery, murder, rape and aggravated assault) committed per 100,000 people rose by 3.8 percent. Despite the rise in some categories of violent crime this year, North Carolina's long-term trend shows falling rates for both violent and property crimes over the past ten years. For example, the rates of murders, rapes and robberies are all down compared to a decade ago. North Carolina's increase in violent crime and drop in property crime reported in 2005 mirrored a trend seen by law enforcement agencies across the country, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. While it's good that North Carolina continues its overall long-term trend of falling crime rates, we should be troubled by increases in the most violent crimes. We must continue to expand law enforcement access to tools like DNA analysis that can crack cold cases and put criminals behind bars. We also know that drugs are at the root of many crimes. We pushed through a law that has cut down on dangerous secret drug labs operating in North Carolina, and we're stepping up efforts to fight drug traffickers. Our law enforcement officers are dedicated professionals and public servants, and they need support in stopping violent lawbreakers and protecting our communities. On behalf of all North Carolinians, I thank each of the law enforcement heroes who lay it on the line every day to protect all of us. Roy Cooper Attorney General Crime in North Carolina - 2005 iii Introduction Foreword In 1969 the Division of Criminal Information (DCI), then called the Police Information Network, was created to provide criminal justice information to all North Carolina law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. Since 1973, law enforcement agencies throughout North Carolina have voluntarily submitted data to the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) on specific crimes committed in their areas of jurisdiction. The information and statistics presented in this annual are an assessment ofthose reports submitted for 2004 and represent an overview ofthe statewide problems associated with those crimes. Once this data is compiled from monthly reports submitted to the SBI, it is furnished to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for tabulation in their national publication called Crime in the United States. This publication is printed with the hope that it will not only assist law enforcement administrators in determining their priorities in the fight against crime, but that it will prove to be a vital resource to researchers, educators and other public and private agencies involved with criminal justice in North Carolina. We believe that the collection of crime statistics will increase awareness for all citizens and by studying these statistics there will be a greater understanding of the problems facing law enforcement. Hopefully this will result in constructive improvement of our criminal justice system. Robin P. Pendergraft SBI Director Crime in North Carolina - 2005 V Introduction North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Statement of Policy For Release of Crime Reporting Data The following policy will be observed by the State Bureau of Investigation concerning the release of all crime data collected under the summary Uniform Crime Reporting and Incident Base Reporting standards. Employees of the SBI shall not deviate from this policy without the express consent of the SBI Assistant Director for Administrative Services or the SBI Director. Public Access: 1. Any crime data submitted to the State Bureau of Investigation will be made available for public release once that data has been edified, verified for accuracy, and put in final form. 2. The SBI has the authority to charge for the release of crime data to non-criminal justice contributors to recover the costs in providing the information. 3. All crime data to be released will originate from the SBI's Planning and Research Unit due to periodic updating. Official Publications: 1. The SBI will publish an annual report reflecting crime in North Carolina. This report will be distributed to the governor, members of the legislature, the attorney general, law enforcement agencies or any agency or committee dedicated to law enforcement or criminal justice work. The SBI and its Advisory Policy Board have the authority to place a charge on the annual publication, Crime in North Carolina, to recover the cost of publishing the document. 2. Law enforcement agencies are asked to comply with the release dates and times of official publications such as Crime in North Carolina, the Semi-Annual Report, and the Initial Annual Report entitled Crime in North Carolina. Law Enforcement Access: Criminal justice agencies will have their own data and other contributors' data available to them at all times for the purposes of crime prevention, crime pattern detection, or other related needs in combating crime. VI Crime in North Carolina - 2005 Introduction Dedication This publication is dedicated to all law enforcement officers, and in particular to those who have lost their lives while upholding the laws and serving the citizens of North Carolina. The following officers were killed feloniously in the line of duty: James Mitchell Prince Boiling Spring Lake Police Department January 1 8, 2005 The following officers died accidentally in the line of duty: Byron Douglas Carpenter City of Belmont Police Department April 16,2005 Bobby Lee Cox Burke County Sheriffs Office September 14, 2005 Christopher Brian Matthews Cumberland County Sheriffs Office September 30, 2005 Crime in North Carolina - 2005 vii Introduction Table of Contents Page Preface — Roy Cooper, Attorney General iii Foreword — Robin P. Pendergraft, Director v Dedication vii CHAPTER I — N.C. UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING PROGRAM Purpose of UCR 2 History of UCR 2 Crime Factors 3 Method of Data Collection 3 Offense Definitions 7 Additional UCR Collections 9 Contributing Agencies and Population Coverage 11 CHAPTER II — NORTH CAROLINA CRIME OVERVIEW Index Crime 16 Violent Crime 19 Property Crime 20 Crime Clock 21 Crime in North Carolina Compared to Crime in the United States 22 CHAPTER III — STATEWIDE INDEX CRIME ANALYSIS Murder 26 Forcible Rape 33 Robbery 39 Aggravated Assault 42 Burglary 43 Larceny 45 Motor Vehicle Theft 47 Arson 51 CHAPTER IV — INDEX CRIME TRENDS 50 CHAPTER V — CRIME INDEX BY JURISDICTION Crime Rates by County 68 Index Offenses and Employee Data by Contributor 70 CHAPTER VI — HATE CRIME 127 CHAPTER VII — VALUE OF PROPERTY STOLEN AND RECOVERED 133 CHAPTER VIII — ARREST AND CLEARANCE DATA 143 CHAPTER IX — LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS KILLED/ASSAULTED 195 APPENDIX — GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 201 Crime in North Carolina - 2005 ix Chapter 1 North Carolina Uniform Crime Reporting Program Crime in North Carolina - 2005 The North Carolina Uniform Crime Reporting Program Purpose of UCR variances in punishment for the same offenses in different state codes, no distinction between felony The North Carolina Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) and misdemeanor crimes was possible. To avoid these problems and provide nationwide uniformity in crime Program is part ofa nationwide, cooperative statistical reporting, standardized offenses effort administered by the Federal Bureau of Investi- definitions by which law enforcement agencies were to submit data without gation. While the program's primary objective is to regard for local statutes were formulated. generate a reliable set of criminal statistics for use in law enforcement administration, operation, and In January 1930, 400 cifies representing 20 million management, its data have over the years become one of the country's leading social indicators.