First, the good news — as was emblazoned in the recent headline: “Violent Crimes Decline in 2003.” The number of reported violent crimes in Tampa dropped nearly 9 percent last year. For stat buffs and those who live in the abstract, that also calculates to 10.8 crimes per 100 people — a not insignificant decline from 11.3.
Now, for some context. While robberies were down, rapes and homicides were, well, up.