Latest FBI figures, 2008 and 2009 crime:


fbi_crime_line_one


fbi_crime_line_2


Bottom line: Overall violent crime in Phoenix dropped more than 15 percent—and that’s 15 percent lower than the already low rates prevailing last year.

For example, in 2003 Phoenix had 247 murders. Two years ago, it had 167, and last year had 122.

And note that those are hard numbers, not murder rates, meaning that the numbers are going down even in the face of steady population growth, not to mention all those crime-crazed immigrants.

(Fortunately, however, the bureau’s stats don’t includes kidnappings …)