Index crimes include murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson. Utah's total index crime rate in 2005 was 4,096, a 5.2% decrease over the 2004 rate of 4,322. Utah's rate has paralleled the national rate over the past 40 years. In 2001, Utah's rate was marginally higher than the national rate, a gap that is beginning to narrow. Utah's higher than average larceny rate, which accounts for nearly three-quarters of the total index crime rate, drives our total rate higher than the national rate.

Violent crimes include murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Utah's violent crime rate in 2005 was 227, a 3.7% decrease compared with 2004. Since its peak in 1997, Utah's violent crime rate has generally been decreasing. The rates in 2004 and 2005 reflect some of the lowest rates Utah has experienced since 1987. Both the national and Utah violent crime rates appear to be leveling off - with the national rate increasing slightly.

Property crimes include burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson. Utah's property crime rate in 2005 was 3,869, a 5.3% decrease over 2004. Since its peak in 1995, Utah's property crime rate has generally been decreasing. Utah's 2001 rate was the lowest the rate has been since 1969, and the 2005 rate was lower than the 2001 rate. Utah's rate and the national rate have followed a parallel course over the past 40 years. In 2005, the national rate showed a slight decrease. Utah's high property crime rate is driven by our higher than average larceny rate.