Spurred primarily by thefts and burglaries, crime in Honolulu increased by more than 6 percent during the first half of 2007 while crime nationwide decreased, the FBI said yesterday.

Some 21,298 crimes were reported in Honolulu from January through June 2007, compared with 20,042 in the first six months of 2006, a 6.3 percent increase, the FBI said.

Law enforcement officials declined to speculate on what prompted the increase, but a local criminologist suggested that it could be related to a leveling off of the state's economy.

"Market economics affect criminal statistics, that we can be sure of as the economy deteriorates and when the housing market takes a hit," said Ronald F. Becker, an attorney and director of the criminal justice program at Chaminade University.

O'ahu home sales slid in 2007. The median price for a single-family home rose by only 2.1 percent last year, the smallest increase since 1.7 percent in 2001.

"The good news is that three categories of crimes declined (assault, car theft and arson), which may be a reflection of where HPD is focusing its manpower, especially in auto thefts," said Becker.

Nationwide, violent crime — including murders, rapes and robberies — dropped by 1.8 percent from January to June last year, the FBI said. Property crimes also decreased, including a 7.4 percent drop in car thefts and 10 percent decline in arson.

VIOLENT CRIME LOW

In Honolulu, five categories accounted for the increase in crime — murder, rape, robbery, burglaries and theft. Property crime accounted for the lion's share of the jump.

Still, Honolulu has had one of the lowest violent crime rates of any U.S. city, and property crimes have always accounted for most of the reported offenses. "Honolulu continues to be the safest major city in the U.S.," Honolulu police Chief Boisse P. Correa said in a statement.

Janet L. Kamerman, special agent in charge of the FBI's Honolulu division, said it was important to keep the latest figures in perspective.

"Any increase in violent crime is concerning for those of us in law enforcement, period," she said. However, "Hawai'i remains a very safe place to live compared to Mainland jurisdictions of the same size, due in large part to the close-knit community we enjoy here. With the public's assistance in identifying those responsible for crime in their neighborhoods and the strong relationships among our local, state and federal partners, law enforcement in Hawai'i can continue to gain the upper hand on the relatively small criminal element we face in the Islands."

Honolulu City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle said he's concerned the increase could be due to repeat offenders.

"I think the biggest concern we all have is that we have criminals with 20 to 30 convictions still in the community. Permitting repeat offenders to remain at large can only contribute to rising crime rates," Carlisle said.

Carlisle was among the key proponents of a new law that calls for mandatory prison sentences for some violent criminals. Under the law, the prosecutor has discretion to seek mandatory sentences of 30 years to life after criminals are convicted of a third violent felony.

The crimes eligible for the penalty include murder, manslaughter, kidnapping and first-degree sexual assault, robbery and burglary.

The latest figures for Honolulu continue a trend of increasing criminal offenses that began in 2006, breaking a four-year streak of decreasing crime rates.

In the first six months of 2006, increases in robberies and aggravated assaults accounted for a 9.8 percent spike for violent crime in Honolulu, the first upswing in crime rates on O'ahu since 2003. Property crime, however, dropped 9.9 percent in the first half of last year.

'ENCOURAGING'

The FBI data, compiled from local and state police departments around the nation, will be finalized later this year.

Still, the nationwide data appears to mark the end of two years of rising violent crime rates, which increased by 2.3 percent in 2005 and 1.9 percent in 2006.

"The latest numbers from the FBI are encouraging," U.S. Justice Department spokesman Peter Carr said. "The report suggests that violent crime remains near historic low levels."

Carr acknowledged some communities continue to face violence, and said the Justice Department "is committed to assisting our state and local partners in combating violent crime wherever it exists."

The data show that violent crime dropped dramatically in cities with 1 million or more residents, where murders decreased by 6.5 percent and rapes by 14 percent.

For more on the study, see www.fbi.gov

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.