Overall crime rates are down in both New York state and Cayuga County for the first half of this year. However, violent crime is up countywide.

A report released Tuesday by the state's Division of Criminal Justice Services shows that, while 50 fewer crimes were reported in the county by June this year than the same time in 2006. there has been a 73 percent increase in violent crime.

While local law enforcement is keeping an eye on the matter, the high percentage may not be of as much concern as it seems. With an already-low violent crime rate in Cayuga County, a small increase in numbers can mean a large increase in percentage, according to officials.

The DCJS report showed that there were three more robberies (27 percent) and nine more reported rapes (180 percent) countywide. The violent offense with the largest number increase was assault, jumping from 44 to 76 - a gain of more than 70 percent.

There were no reported homicides in Cayuga County the first half of 2006 or 2007.

The only three counties mentioned in the report with a greater percentage increase in violent crime were Clinton, Lewis and Washington, which jumped 106 269 and 90 percent, respectively. All three have fewer than 135 reported violent crimes between January and June of 2007.

“Looking at a percentage increase can be very misleading,” said Cayuga County Sheriff's Detective Lt. Joseph Weeks. “You have to look at the actual number of violent crimes, and I would say violent crime is still relatively low here.”

What would be a concern, Weeks said, is if there was a steady increase in crime in the county over multiple years - something he has not noticed.

Still, both the sheriff's office and the Auburn Police Department say the use and trafficking of narcotics continues to be a problem in the area. There have already been four more drug arrests in Auburn this year than in all of 2006, when the APD made 179. And according to APD Deputy Chief Thomas Murphy, more drugs in a community will often lead to more criminal activity.

“When an individual is an addict, that person spends the vast majority of his money purchasing other drugs,” Murphy said. “In order to get that money, the person will often commit crimes.”

So far this year, Auburn has seen similar numbers of robbery arrests than in 2006. But there has been an increase in incidents relating to assault in Auburn. The APD have responded to 16 more service calls for assaults so far this year than this time in 2006. They have made 77 misdemeanor and felony arrests on those calls, while there were 92 total arrests for assault last year.

Sometimes, Murphy said, a higher crime rate can even be traced to a few individuals, such as a single person committing a string of burglaries in the same area before being caught.

“Normally, something is driving the engine when there is a noticeable increase,” Murphy said. “When we see significant jumps, we take a look at it and ask why, and see how we can best address what is going on.”

According to the DCJS report, there was also an 11 percent decrease of property crimes reported in Cayuga County for the first half of this year from the same time period in 2006, including a drop in both burglary and larceny.

Staff Writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net