FACTBOX: Violent crime and murder on the rise in U.S
(Reuters) - Many U.S. cities are struggling to stem a wave of violent crime and murder. The following are key statistics on violent crime and murder in the United States.
* The Federal Bureau of Investigation says an estimated 16,692 people were murdered nationwide in 2005, the latest full year for which there is data. That marked a 3.4 percent rise from 2004 and equals 5.6 murders per 100,000 inhabitants.
* In the first six months of 2006, robbery offenses rose 9.7 percent, murder was up 1.4 percent and aggravated assault increased 1.2 percent from a year earlier. Forcible rape offenses fell less than 0.1 percent.
* In the same six-month period, U.S. cities with populations of 500,000 to 999,999 saw the most marked increase in reported murder offenses, up 8.4 percent, according to preliminary data in the FBI's "Uniform Crime Reports".
* The Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington-based law enforcement think tank that surveyed 56 police jurisdictions nationwide, found homicides up 2.89 percent in 2006, robberies up 6.48 percent, while the number of aggravated assaults fell 2.20 percent.
* Between 2004 and 2006, homicides in the United States rose 10.21 percent, robberies increased 12.27 percent, aggravated assault was up 3.12 percent and aggravated assault with a firearm increased 9.98 percent, according to the Police Executive Research Forum.
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(Compiled by Jason Szep in Boston)
