The report shows that the number of crimes reported statewide for the first six months of 2004 decreased 10.2 percent from the figure reported for the first half of 2003.

Property offenses, by far the most pervasive crime in the state, fell 10 percent statewide. The number of violent crimes — murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault — fell 12.6 percent from the same period in 2003 in all four counties.

The number of murders reported statewide for the first half of 2004 shot up 45.4 percent, up from 11 in 2003 to 16 in 2004. Forcible rapes fell 11. 3 percent, robberies dropped 42.5 percent, and aggravated assault rose 7.3 percent.

Statewide felony arrests decreased 17.3 percent for adults and 3.5 percent for juveniles. Index offenses include murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny/theft, motor vehicle theft and arson, all of which are felonies.

Juvenile index crime arrests are used by law enforcement to gauge the extent of serious juvenile crime in Hawai'i. In 1998, juvenile index crime arrests hit a record low and continued to surpass that low every subsequent year, according to a statement released by the attorney general's office.

Statewide drug arrests fell 3.2 percent during the first half of 2004. Arrests for non-narcotics — which include other drugs like LSD, ecstacy and crystal methamphetamine — rose 18.8 percent.