Crime Rate Falls to New Lows

North Carolina's crime level has dropped to its lowest level since 1977.

Attorney General Roy Cooper announced earlier today that crime across the state fell by 5.6 percent in 2010 from the year before. Violent crime has declined by 10.2 percent. That includes a murder that is the lowest the state has ever recorded. Cooper credits the decrease to hiring more DNA analysts and expanding the state's DNA database. He says a computer crimes unit and a center to gather information on terrorist activity have also contributed to declining crime rates. But in a statement Cooper said that recent budget cuts to law enforcement personnel and equipment will hamper the state's ability to fight crime.