WASHINGTON, D.C. ? Violent crime rose 2.3 percent last year, the first increase since 2001, the FBI reported Monday.

The agency found there were 1.39 million violent crimes – which include rape, murder, robbery and aggravated assault – reported in the United States in 2005, up from 1.36 million the previous year.

The figures from the FBI’s 2005 annual report largely track preliminary results from earlier this year.

The percentage jump was violent crime’s largest increase since 1991, with only rape showing a decline in the past year.

The report comes as mayors and police chiefs at a recent crime conference said they were seeing spikes in violent crime for 2006. They have called for greater support from federal law enforcement, expressing concern that the Bush administration might be too complacent as it devotes time and attention to the war on terror.