According to a report released Feb. 16 by the Milwaukee Police Department, the city saw a general decrease in crime during 2011 when compared to 2010. The new numbers reflect a general decline in crime during a four-year period, but show that the city has continued to struggle with certain crimes such as burglary.

There were 85 homicides in Milwaukee in 2011, a 9.5 percent decrease from 2010. That number is higher than the 81 homicides the city has seen on average per year in the last four years, particularly due to a low number of 71 and 72 murders in 2008 and 2009, respectively.

Other violent crimes saw a general decrease. The number of rapes in 2011 was 196, which despite being equal to the number in 2010, reflects a 16.9 percent decrease since four years ago. Aggravated assault decreased to a four-year low of 2,736 incidents, or a decrease of 11.8 percent from last year and 34.6 percent since 2007.

The sole violent crime to see an increase in incidents was robbery which increased 7.9 percent from 2010 to 3,175, in 2011 but that was still roughly 10 percent lower than the number in 2007.

Overall, the numbers suggest violent crime is on a decline in the city. Although MPD reported a modest 2.3 percent decrease over the past year, since 2007, violent crime has decreased by 23.2 percent.

Similarly, property crime decreased by 4.1 percent, despite an increase in most categories over the past year. The overall decrease in Milwaukee crime was driven by a 9.2 percent drop in theft, which still leads property crime with 19,924 cases. That is an 18.4 percent decline since 2007, which saw 24,408 incidents.

Less common property crimes, including burglary, auto theft and arson, have all seen a slight tick upward. Despite decreasing from 2007 to 2010, automobile burglary and arson have increased 4.7 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively, since 2010, with 2011 seeing 4,534 auto thefts and 257 arsons.

MPD believes the increase in robberies may be due to an increased demand in the black market for scrap metal.

“Scrap metal prices reached a historic high in March 2011 of $4.50 per pound for copper,” said Milwaukee Police Department spokeswoman Anne Schwartz in a press release. “Translated into scrap metal burglaries, there were 794 burglaries and 918 thefts reported in which recyclable metal was targeted by thieves.”

Student reactions to the released data were mixed.

C. Terrence Anderson, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said he felt the numbers were good news for the city, even though he had never personally experienced crime in Milwaukee.

“I never really felt unsafe here, but it is a good thing for the citywide community,” Anderson said. “I’ve never been a victim of any crimes, but we’re a part of the Milwaukee community, so I think we should care what happens to the larger community instead of just what happens to us.”

But Jeff Ocwieja, a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences, said the fluctuating levels of crime, with certain offenses rising and falling each year, showed there were some things outside of the police department’s control.

“Despite the best efforts of the police department, there is not much they can do to control crime in the city,” Ocwieja said. “I don’t see many police officers walking around, which makes me think they are underfunded and not as prevalent in the city as they should be.”