8 YEAR TREND - 1995 TO 2002   NATIONWIDE TREND IN LOWER CRIME RATES BYPASSES STATE OF TEXAS NATIONWIDE..... violent and property crimes dipped in 2002 to their lowest levels since records started being compiled 30 years ago, and have dropped more than 50 percent in the last decade, the Justice Department reported on Sunday, August 24, 2003. Over the last eight years, all major cities with population over one million, excluding those in Texas, saw total crimes per capita fall from 22% to 48%. IN TEXAS..... the situation is much different.  Over the last eight years, Dallas, San Antonio and Houston saw little or no change in total crimes per capita.  Three of the top four cities in the nation in total crimes per capita are those three Texas cities.  Dallas ranks #1 and is on track to remain #1 in total crimes per capita, among cities with population over one million, FOR THE SIXTH YEAR IN A ROW. Visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/ to review the complete annual survey with all data from the Department of Justice  released August 24, 2003. _________________________ TOTAL CRIME PER CAPITA CHANGE FROM 1995 TO 2002* CITY (2002 RANK)           1995             2002                CHANGE CHICAGO (#5)                  9792             6604                    -33% DALLAS (#1)                     9601             9346                    - 3% HOUSTON (#4)                7588             7555                      0% LOS ANGELES (#7)         7777             5130                    -34% NEW YORK (#9)               6076             3140                    -48% PHILADELPHIA (#6)          7078             5492                    -22% PHOENIX (#3)                10,904             8080                    -26% SAN ANTONIO (#2)          7994             8087                    + 1% SAN DIEGO (#8)               5568             4039                    -24% *TOTAL CRIMES PER 100,000 POPULATION FOR ALL CITIES WITH OVER ONE MILLION POPULATION.  FBI STATISTICS FROM www.fbi.gov . _________________________ Preliminary year-to-date crime reports  for 2003 don't look good for Dallas.  If the current trend continues thru the end of 2003, Dallas will report the HIGHEST PER CAPITA TOTAL CRIME, MURDER, ROBBERY, BURGLARY AND LARCENY/THEFT RATES IN EIGHT YEARS.  Thru October 2003, the total crime rate of 9718 total crimes per 100,000 is a 4.0% increase over the same period in 2002.  The MURDER RATE PER CAPITA is 30% higher year-to-date 2003 over year-to-date 2002.  A quick check of other major cities with population over one million indicates that most other cities, unlike Dallas, are reporting overall decreases in crime for 2003.  Dallas appears to be safe in holding onto its #1 position as CRIME CAPITAL OF THE NATION for the sixth year in a row.  Dallas will easily take the #1 position in 2003 with a total crime rate per capita in excess of 20% higher than its closest competitor, which now looks like Phoenix. Now that the Mayor and the City Council are aware that Dallas has a crime problem....... lets see what they do about it. STAY TUNED.....WE WILL BE WATCHING.....AND REPORTING!!! ____________________ 8 YEAR TREND - 1995 TO 2002