Mixed Violent Crime Numbers for NH

CONCORD, NH — Violent crime rose in New Hampshire in 2015, according to the latest federal data, but that increase was overshadowed by decreases in some specific categories of crime, according to data released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Violent crime – murder, rape, assault, and various thefts and robberies – increased from 196.1 crimes per 100,000 inhabitants in 2014 to 199.3 per 100,000 in 2015, according to the latest data.

Four categories of violent crime – murder or negligent manslaughter, rape (revised definition), aggravated assault, and motor vehicle thefts – all increased by varying amounts. Murder cases grew by two in 2015 as compared to 2014, 12 to 14 cases, while rape cases in the state also increased by 33 incidents between years. Aggravated assault incidents also increased by 84 from 2014 to 2015. Motor vehicle thefts also increased by slightly more than 30, according to the data.

Other categories though – like robberies, overall property crime, burglaries, and larceny-thefts – are all down, and, in some cases, drastically. Robbery cases, as an example, are down from 2015 by 69 cases compared to 2014. Property crimes are down by nearly 2,800 cases. Burglaries dropped by nearly 700 incidents compared to the previous year. In the Granite State, larceny and theft cases dropped by more than 2,100 cases, according to the data.

Between the two years, according to the data, New Hampshire’s population grew by about 3,800 people.

The report serves as guidelines for many things, from informing law enforcement decisions on budgeting and resource allocation, to informing lawmakers' anti-crime legislation. However, the FBI cautioned against using them as a means of comparing different locales, since there are many factors at play, including but not limited to: population density and degree of urbanization; the number of young people; economic conditions; and family conditions.

Alison Bauter contributed to this report.

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