EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 6 P.M.
AG
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1998
(202) 616-2777
WWW.USDOJ.GOV TDD
(202) 514-1888

AG STATEMENT ON UCR NUMBERS FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1998

Attorney General Reno released the following statement on the FBI's preliminary statistics for the first six months of 1998:

"These continuing declines are more evidence that we have turned an historic corner on crime. Crime is still too high, but rising crime rates are not a fact of life.

"With the passage of the President's 1994 Crime Act, we changed the strategic direction of crime fighting. We joined national resources with local know-how. But even more needs to be done. We need to build on the comprehensive programs of policing, prevention and punishment that are producing these lower crime rates."

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