While violent crime reported to law enforcement in the U.S. dropped by nearly 2 percent in 2008, Lawrence experienced a slight increase from 2007.

In statistics released Monday by the FBI as part of its annual Uniform Crime Report, violent crimes — including murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault — increased in Lawrence to 412 in 2008 from 409 in 2007.

The past year also marked a spike in murders and non-negligent manslaughter in the city, up from none in 2007 to four in 2008, which was the largest number of murders in the past five years in the city.

But Lawrence’s 8 percent drop in property crimes in 2008 was higher than the national decrease of less than 1 percent from the previous year. Forcible rapes reported in Lawrence also decreased by 20 percent in 2008.

The FBI’s Uniform Crime Report represents the number of offenses reported to law enforcement in a given year, and the report is compiled by collecting data from more than 17,000 law enforcement agencies in the country.

Statistics for the city of Lawrence:

• Violent crime (Includes murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault)

2004: 367

2005: 276

2006: 500

2007: 409

2008: 412

• Murder and non-negligent manslaughter

2004: 2

2005: 2

2006: 3

2007: 0

2008: 4

• Forcible Rape

2004: 47

2005: 30

2006: 48

2007: 48

2008: 40

• Property crime (Includes burglary, larceny/theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson)

2004: 4213

2005: 3493

2006: 4914

2007: 5030

2008: 4656

• Other Jurisdictions (violent, property crimes reported in 2008)

KU: 6, 185

Douglas County: 16, 260

Eudora: 18, 125

Tonganoxie: 5, 95

Baldwin City: 8, 80