California Homicide Rate Drops To 44-Year-Low

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- The California homicide rate has dropped to its lowest level since 1966.

State Attorney General Kamala Harris released updated 2010 figures Tuesday and credited law enforcement for the 44-year low. The 2010 figures are a preliminary update of the annual report "Crime in California 2009" released earlier this year.

The attorney general says in a news release that the number of homicides reported last year declined 9.6 percent from 2009.

But gang-related homicides, which represent nearly 40 percent of all homicides in the state, jumped 18 percent last year.

Overall, violent crimes fell 6.4 percent. Forcible rape declined 6 percent, robbery dropped 8.9 percent and aggravated assault fell 4.6 percent.