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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release October 4, 1997

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation released its final crime statistics for 1996, and the results are good news for all Americans. We are finally -- and decisively -- tipping the scales of justice in favor of law-abiding Americans. Overall crime is down for the fifth year in a row, with the biggest reductions coming in violent crime (6%) -- and especially murders (9%). Reported rapes, robberies, assaults, and all types of property crimes are down from the previous year. Even the arrest rate for violent juveniles, which had skyrocketed for seven years, has now gone down for two years in a row.

For five years, my Administration has worked with police, prosecutors, school principals and community leaders on a tough, smart crime strategy to attack violent crime. Together, we have fought for more police in our communities, fewer guns on our streets, tougher punishment for violent offenders, and better opportunities for our kids. Today's crime statistics show that, armed with these tools, we are moving in the right direction.

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