Serious crime up 3.8 percent in Honolulu

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

Serious crime in Honolulu was up in every category except murder in 2001 for the second year in a row, statistics released yesterday by the FBI show.

The numbers, however, indicate violent crime still remains low compared with Mainland cities of similar size. Honolulu Police Chief Lee Donohue attributed an increase in property crime in Honolulu to crystal methamphetamine abuse.

Serious crime increased 3.8 percent from 46,659 in 2000 to 48,442 in 2001, according to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft make up the serious crime categories.

Violent crime increased 7 percent in 2001 while property crime increased 4 percent last year, the FBI said. Nationwide, serious crime increased by 2 percent, violent crime by 0.3 percent and property crime by 2.2 percent.

The statistics are the first in-depth look at Honolulu's 2001 statistics, which account for nearly 75 percent of the state's serious crimes. Kaua'i, Maui and the Big Island were not listed in yesterday's report.

Based on Honolulu's crime numbers, serious crime was expected to be up no more than 5 percent statewide for 2001, said Paul Perrone, chief of research and statistics at the Crime Prevention and Justice Assistance Division of the attorney general's office. The statewide numbers are expected later this summer, he said.

Overall, crime in Hawai'i is gradually increasing after four years of declines between 1995 and 1999, when statistics showed a 33 percent decrease statewide, Perrone said.

And for this year, the number of serious crimes reported in Hono-lulu may be even higher. Donohue said for the first five months of this year, his department's preliminary numbers show serious offenses in Honolulu have increased about 14 percent over last year. Property crimes make up the bulk of the 14 percent increase and are spiking the numbers, Donohue said.

Honolulu Prosecutor Peter Carlisle called property crimes a gateway for violent crimes, which he said could adversely affect the state's tourism industry. Streamlining the judicial process would give police more opportunity to focus on arresting suspects, he said.

But Donohue said Honolulu is "still the safest major city" when it comes to violent crime, although he added that the city's reputation is hurt by the high number of property crimes. Hawai'i's theft rate was ranked the highest in the nation in 2000, according to the FBI.

"We rank high in property crime," Donohue said. "It's always been a concern for me as a chief, my predecessors and the whole department. What is fueling all these thefts, basically to me, is the drugs."

Last year, Honolulu had the highest percentage of crystal methamphetamine use among men arrested compared with 30 other U.S. cities. Nearly 40 percent of the men who were arrested by the Honolulu Police Department between January and September 2001 tested positive for crystal methamphetamine, according to the national Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring program, which the U.S. Department of Justice oversees.

Donohue said police are dealing with the drug problem on several fronts. While police continue to arrest drug violators on the street on suspicion of possession or trafficking in crystal methamphetamine, he noted that more drug-resistance education, rehabilitation programs and treatment facilities are needed.

While the chief said he liked the concept of a recently enacted law that provides first-time non-violent drug offenders treatment instead of prison, he said it remains to be seen if there are enough treatment facilities to handle those released from prison.

"I don't think we have the resources here to take care of the number of people who do need rehabilitation," Donohue said. "There's no room. You can create this law, but if there's no infrastructure to support it, where are we going to go with that?"

Donohue also said the early release of prisoners from overcrowded prisons without proper rehabilitation could seriously affect crime in Honolulu and would send the wrong message to criminals.

Carlisle agreed that crystal methamphetamine abuse is spurring property crime.

The community, law enforcement and the Legislature need to focus efforts and resources on crime, especially the crystal methamphetamine problem, he said.

"We have lots of reasons for major concern now," Carlisle said. "We've got a more dangerous drug here than we've dealt with in the past."