Crime Statistics

The Los Angeles Police Department's online crime map intended for public use has failed to include nearly 40% of serious crimes reported in the city, a Times analysis has found. The omissions, which date back at least six months, include thousands of crimes known to LAPD officials and are included in their official crime statistics. Among the 19,000 incidents between Jan. 1 and June 13 that do not appear at lapdcrimemaps.

Despite a reeling economy, crime in Los Angeles and many other parts of Southern California fell in 2008 for the sixth consecutive year, challenging the widely held theory that crime rises at times of economic tumult. The continued decline, while less pronounced than in previous years, comes even as other major American cities, including New York and Chicago, have seen increases in some crimes, notably homicides.

Despite the tough economic times, both violent and property crimes are down significantly in areas patrolled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department so far in 2009, Sheriff Lee Baca said Monday. The biggest drop in any major crime category is in homicides, down 23.5% through Sept. 18 this year compared with the same period in 2008, according to Baca. Crime has decreased despite an economic downturn that has hit particularly hard in some relatively poor neighborhoods patrolled by the Sheriff's Department, including Compton and unincorporated South L.A. Baca predicted more than a year ago that the ailing economy could result in crime increases, but that has so far not materialized.

The economy is a wreck, and crime is down. Does that mean hard times and lawbreaking aren't linked? Two weeks ago, L.A. crime statistics came out for the misery-filled first 4 1/2 months of 2009, and they were, to me, a weird ray of sunshine. Nationally, crime has been up in some places and down in others. But overall? Dramatically down. And here in Los Angeles, the drop is particularly stunning.

The vast majority of large cities across California saw declines in both violent and property crimes last year -- though there were several communities that bucked the trend. Of the 65 cities with more than 100,000 residents, 45 saw drops in violent crime, while 52 cities had fewer property crimes when factoring in population changes in 2008, a Times analysis of FBI preliminary crime statistics for 2008 shows.

It is a Sunday morning and there is still dew on the grass outside Faith Inspirational Missionary Baptist Church. Already, God has received a standing ovation. The thermometer on the wall claims it's only 75 degrees in here, but congregants are dancing in the aisles, some with their shoes kicked off and stashed under the pews. Their sweat mixes with their tears, and for once in Compton, they are tears of joy. "People of faith!" thunders the Rev.

Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton conceded Thursday that the LAPD's crime map had significant omissions but said it will stay online while the problems, first identified by The Times, are corrected. Bratton -- speaking at a news conference to announce a gang crackdown -- said that despite significant omissions, the crimes that are plotted on the map are accurate. He said he believed it remains a valuable public service.

Crediting aggressive crime-fighting strategies and partnerships with local cities, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca announced Wednesday that Lancaster and Palmdale and surrounding desert communities had seen a 10% reduction in overall crime last year. That makes for the lowest crime rate in the Antelope Valley since 2001, Baca said. Gang-related violent crimes dropped by 33% last year throughout the 1,370-square-mile region.

While homicides fell significantly, serious crime in the dozens of communities patrolled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department rose 4% overall in 2007 -- prompting Sheriff Lee Baca to warn that a worsening economy could present a tough crime picture for 2008. An increase in robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries and other property crimes drove the crime uptick, according to statistics compiled by the department, which protects about 3 million people.

The number of homicides in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties either saw a sharp drop or remained mostly unchanged last year compared to 2006, according to new crime statistics. Homicides fell from 12 in 2006 to six in 2007 in the area patrolled by the Orange County Sheriff's Department, officials said. The sheriff's jurisdiction includes 12 of the county's 34 cities, serving a population of about 3.2 million people.