Violent Crime in the US on the Decline

Could it be more Americans are opting to turn the other cheek in volatile situations? FBI statistics released this week show that violent crime in the United States fell 5.3% in 2009, marking the 3rd consecutive year it’s been on the decline. The numbers of murders in the US are also on a downward trend, dropping to its lowest levels since 1999.
According to the final 2009 statistics, there was a 7.3% decline in murders, an 8% drop in robberies, a 4.2% decline in aggravated assaults and a 2.6% fall in rapes. Property crimes in the US also fell last year by 4.6%, with motor vehicle thefts falling 17.1% and burglary down 1.3%.
The 15,241 murders in 2009 came close to the numbers of 1999 when 15,220 murders occurred in the country. Law enforcement would like to see the stats dip further to a level not seen since 1969 when there were 14,760.
In New York City, the largest city in the country, the violent crime rate dropped just over 4%, and there was also a 10% drop in murders. In Arizona, where some politicians have complained that illegal immigrants are committing violent crimes upon entering the state, there was a nearly 14% drop in violent crimes.