Murder Rate In City May Be At 40-Year Low

The city is on track to have fewer than 500 murders in 2007, the lowest amount in a 12-month period in more than 40 years, according to a report published Thursday.

There were 427 murders logged as of Monday — 411 killings plus 16 crime victims who died this year from injuries they got years ago, the New York Times reported on its Web site. That makes the city's average slightly more than one per day.

Last year, the city reported 579 homicides through December 24 — a nearly 10% increase from the year before.

The city's homicide rate reached an all-time high of 2,245 in 1990, making it the murder capital of the nation. Since then, the rate has plummeted to levels not seen since the 1960s. There were 570 homicides in 2004, dropping to 539 in 2005.

This year, police have determined a relationship between the victim and assailant in nearly half of the slayings committed as of November 18, the Times reported. The motives in the remainder of the killings were still being analyzed.

The majority died in disputes with acquaintances, rival drug crew members, or spouses and family.

Police department analysts found only 35 cases where the victim did not know the killer, as compared to 121 instances last year, officials said, according to the Times.

In the first half of 2007, New York City had a 5% decline in violent crimes, 23,887, down from 25,132.