Jenna Bordelon
BURBANK -- Overall crime in Burbank rose 11.8% for the first six
months of the year, according to the state Department of Justice
preliminary tracking report released Monday. The department's
California Crime Index totals show a statewide increase of 1.3% compared
to the first six months of 1999. The largest increases in the state came
in the categories of forcible rape and homicide.
The index is compiled from surveys of crime in cities of 100,000 or
more population.
Burbank bucked the trend for reported forcible rapes in the state
report. While those crimes increased statewide by 9.7%, according to the
index, they dropped in the city by 17%.
In Burbank, the largest increase came from a rise in aggravated
assaults, which are attacks that result in serious injuries.
A 20.2% jump in aggravated assaults led Justice Department officials
to request a written explanation from the Burbank Police Department.
Department of Justice spokesman Mike Van Winkle said three faxes
usually are sent to each police department, both to confirm the numbers
and to seek an explanation.
"Whenever a category is 10% out of the norm, we ask that agency to
explain it to us," Van Winkle said. "Burbank didn't provide us with any
explanation of anything."
But police records manager Crystal Ray said the department makes every
effort to find out why numbers have jumped.
"We try to research to say if there's any particular reason why, and
if we can't then we would let them know," she said. "I have no
documentation that they faxed anything to us."
According to crime statistics released by the police department in
September, aggravated assaults actually jumped 34%, although that number
was for the first seven months of the year.
Also, when compared to the numbers provided by the FBI Crime Index for
the first six months, there was a 5.3% difference in Burbank's favor.
The FBI's total increase was 6.5%, but state justice officials
attributed that difference to the FBI's inclusion of two extra crime
categories: larceny-theft and arson.
In neighboring Glendale, the California Crime Index reported a 13.4%
total rise in crime, although the FBI total showed an 8.8% decrease.
BOX
Crime 2000 In Selected California Jurisdictions, January through June
Report -- Burbank
Violent Crimes
Total*Murder*Forcible Rape*Robbery*Aggravated Assault
1999*137*0*6*42*89
2000*167*1*5*54*107
Property Crimes
Total*Burglary*Motor Vehicle Theft
1999*465*171*294
2000*506*207*299
Total percent increase from 1999 to 2000: 11.8%
