“The Uniform Crime Report is a snapshot of criminal activity,” said SLED Chief Mark Keel. “While the decrease in overall violent crime is encouraging, increases in some categories tell us there’s always much work to be done.”
Keel said the rate for murder in South Carolina increased 4.3 percent from 2011 and 2012.
The 2012 report indicated property crimes in the state dropped 2.2 percent from the previous’ numbers.
Keel said figures used in the report came from sheriff’s departments and police departments statewide. The rates in the annual report are per 10,000 inhabitants.
“Our great thanks to the state’s sheriffs, chiefs of police, their officers and staff who protect our communities and contribute the data for this report,” he said. “I want to commend our colleagues at the state Department of Public Safety, especially Robert McManus, for assisting SLED in completing this report.”
