----------------------
GOVERNOR: NYS CONTINUES UNPRECEDENTED CRIME REDUCTION

During First Six Months of 2005, Overall Crime Down 2.8%; Property Crime Down 3.3%

Governor George E. Pataki today announced that in the first six months of 2005, crime continued to drop to historic lows in New York State. Preliminary crime statistics released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation today, show New York with an estimated 0.4 percent decline in violent crimes -- including a 5.3 percent decline in murder -- and a 3.3 percent drop in property crime.

“For more than a decade we have had unprecedented reductions in crime in New York State. Our continued success in 2005 builds on the dramatic reductions in crime we achieved by implementing tough, smart criminal justice initiatives and the continued hard work of law enforcement professionals from Buffalo to Babylon,” Governor Pataki said. “Working together, we have helped to make New York the safest large state in the nation and the sixth safest state overall.”

“Although we have made significant progress over the last 11 years, we must do more. We have recently experienced the loss of two brave New York City Police officers in the span of a few weeks. So, I have called a Special Session of the State Legislature for this Wednesday, and asked our State Legislators to come back and enact tougher illegal gun trafficking laws and tougher penalties for those who would injure or kill cops. For years I have also been proposing common-sense legislation that would protect our families and loved ones from violent sexual predators, and expand the DNA Databank so that our law enforcement officials will have the tools they need to prevent crimes, solve crimes, exonerate the innocent and bring justice to victims. These are a few among several other public safety measures I have raised to the Legislature over the years.”

Chauncey G. Parker, New York State Director of Criminal Justice, said, “The achievements and sound criminal justice policies that Governor Pataki has implemented over the past decade have resulted in unparalleled success in reducing crime. But what continues to frustrate law enforcement professionals across the State is that there is so much more that could and should be done. The Assembly leadership must allow its members to vote on the legislation that has already received bipartisan, overwhelming support by so many legislators. We must provide greater protection to all New Yorkers from violent sexual predators, do everything within our power so that illegal guns are removed from our streets and eliminate the statute of limitations for rape cases. These issues are not republican, democrat, liberal or conservative, they are public safety issues and the people of this state deserve nothing less than a vote up or down.”

The newly released FBI crime estimates for the first six months of 2005 show that violent offenses (murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) declined by 0.4 percent in New York State, compared to a 0.5 percent decrease nationwide, whereas murder in New York State decreased by 5.3 percent, compared to an increase of 2.1 percent in the rest of the nation.

Property offenses (burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft) declined by 3.3 percent in New York State compared to only a 2.8 percent decrease nationwide. In individual categories, New York State had declines of 6.4 percent for burglary, 1.2 percent for larceny and 13.2 percent for motor vehicle theft. In contrast, the rest of the nation experienced decreases of 1.1 percent for burglary, 3.5 percent for larceny, and 2.1 percent for motor vehicle theft.

Crime in New York State is at its lowest levels since statewide crime reporting began nearly 40 years ago. In addition to being the safest large state in the nation—since 1994, overall crime in New York State has declined by 45 percent, and violent crime has declined by 52 percent, murder has declined by 56 percent and motor vehicle theft has dropped by 68 percent; New York State is the sixth safest state overall. Last year 90,519 fewer violent crimes occurred in New York State than in 1994. In fact, if the level of violent crime in 1994 had gone unchanged over the course of the last ten years, more than a half-million more New Yorkers could have become victims of violent crime.

In order to help make New York the safest state in the nation, the Governor has continued to launch a number of crime-fighting initiatives to assist local law enforcement officials across New York State. In addition to Operation IMPACT, which brings together local, state and federal resources in an effort to achieve sustained, long term crime reductions; the Governor has launched two fugitive apprehension initiatives to target the most dangerous fugitives in New York State. In his 2005 State of the State Address, the Governor launched Project SAF-T and the 100 Most Wanted Program, www.NYSMostWanted.com, which has netted 68 arrests in less than 11 months. And, last week, the Governor announced the start of Operation Rolling Thunder -- New York’s newest fugitive apprehension strategy.

Operation Rolling Thunder is a locally led federal, state and local initiative targeting the worst-of-the-worst fugitives and wanted violent sexual predators in the higher crime areas of New York State. Last week, local, state and federal law enforcement personnel from the U.S. Marshals Office, the Regional Fugitive Task Force, the New York State Police Violent Felony Warrant Squad, New York State Division of Parole, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Rochester Police Department, Monroe County Office of Probation and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office initiated the first Rolling Thunder Operation in New York State. In addition to capturing 118 fugitives in less than five days, the Monroe County Operation Rolling Thunder initiative removed three illegal weapons from the street, including one semi-automatic AR-15 assault rifle with laser site. The weapon was loaded with a full metal jacket-a clip containing 30 rounds of military ammunition.

Over the next several months, Operation Rolling Thunder will be implemented in upstate metropolitan communities throughout the State. In addition to providing personnel, Governor Pataki has committed $25,000 to assist local law enforcement pay for overtime in each of the Operation Rolling Thunder counties.

To further support our crime fighting efforts, Governor Pataki has proposed a number of legislative initiatives that will help New York State become the safest State in the nation that include: the strengthening of Megan's Law to provide the public with additional information and impose tougher penalties for sex offenders who fail to comply; expansion of the DNA Database and elimination the statute of limitations for rape, sexual assault, and most other serious violent felonies in light of advances in DNA science; provide police and prosecutors the laws they need to take those who use, sell or possess illegal guns off our streets; and ensure that sexually violent predators who pose a threat are not released into our communities.

PERCENTAGE CHANGE IN INDEX CRIME CATEGORIES

JANUARY - JUNE 2005 VS. 2004

NEW YORK STATE COMPARED WITH THE NATION

Preliminary Data

*Overall Crime in New York State dropped by 2.8 percent.



|---------------------+---------------+---------------|
| | New York State| United States|
|---------------------+---------------+---------------|
| Violent Crimes | - 0.4| -0.5|
|---------------------+---------------+---------------|
| Murder | - 5.3| +2.1|
|---------------------+---------------+---------------|
| Rape | -1.7| -4.7|
|---------------------+---------------+---------------|
| Robbery | +4.1| +0.6|
|---------------------+---------------+---------------|
| Agg. Assault | - 3.3| - 0.7|
|---------------------+---------------+---------------|
| Property Crimes | -3.3| - 2.8|
|---------------------+---------------+---------------|
| Burglary | -6.4| -1.1|
|---------------------+---------------+---------------|
| Larceny | -1.2| - 3.5|
|---------------------+---------------+---------------|
| MV Theft | -13.2| -2.1|
|---------------------+---------------+---------------|

Source: DCJS, Uniform Crime/Incident-Based Reporting systems (as of 12/9/05) and FBI, Preliminary Crime Statistics.

Note: The United States figures include New York State.

CONTACT: New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Jessica Scaperotti (518) 457-8828 or (518) 469-6214
-------------------------------