Politics & Government

Crime Rate in Conn., U.S. at a 40-Year Low

The reason for the decline is a bit of a mystery to government officials, according to the Housatonic Times.

The Office of Policy and Management announced last week that crime in Connecticut, as well as the U.S., is at a 40-year low, according to the Housatonic Times.

Michael Lawlor, undersecretary for the OPM’s Criminal Justice Planning and Policy Division, who presented the report to the legislature's Judiciary Committee on Friday, said that it's unclear why crime rates in the country are on the decline, but it could be attributed to a number of factors, including the increased use of cell phone cameras.

In 2011, the number of arrests in Connecticut decreased by 11.4 percent compared to the three previous years. The number of repeat offenses has also dropped by 5 percent since 2007. Lawlor also announced that prison rates are steadily dropping with 700 fewer prisoners incarcerated in January 2012 compared to January 2011.

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