Pubdate: Thu, 04 May 2000 Source: Omaha World-Herald (NE) Copyright: 2000 Omaha World-Herald Company. Contact: http://www.omaha.com/ Forum: http://chat.omaha.com/ Author: Robynn Tysver YOUTH DRUG DATA RAISE FLAGS Lincoln - The 1999 crime statistics are out, and overall crime in Nebraska dropped 6 percent. However, drug-related arrests for youths rose by 12 percent. That didn't surprise one youth counselor. Therapist Bill Nelson, who has four years of counseling experience in Omaha, blamed the increase on an old culprit - marijuana. It's bigger than ever, he said. "It's probably bigger than the '60s. It's back and everybody is using it and it's 'OK,'" Nelson said Wednesday, the day the annual crime report was released by the Nebraska Crime Commission. The increase in drug-related arrests was of special concern for Gov. Mike Johanns. He said if left unchecked, that trend could lead to larger problems in the future, noting that people who are forced to feed drug habits often turn to a life of crime. "We have to do a better job in that arena," he said. Nelson said one of the biggest problems with marijuana is that it leads to more drug use. "It's a gateway drug. That makes it a big deal," he said. "You usually don't start out taking methamphetamine, acid or cocaine. You start out with marijuana and go on to the hard-core drugs." The overall drop in crime in Nebraska mirrors a national trend in which the crime rate was expected to drop by 7 percent, as it did in 1998. "Clearly, this is good news for our communities, big and small, as well as for law enforcement and criminal justice personnel," said Allen Curtis, executive director of the Crime Commission. "It appears the country and, hopefully Nebraska, is in the process of reversing upward trends." The City of Omaha reported a 1 percent drop in crime, while Lincoln recorded a 6 percent drop. The decline in small towns - those of 5,000 population or less - averaged 12 percent. A spokesman for the Omaha Police Department said it is not fair to compare a large, growing metropolitan area with the state's more rural areas. "Omaha is a growing city, and we think a 1 percent decrease for a growing metropolitan area is significant," said Sgt. Dan Cisar, a police spokesman. Cisar noted that Omaha, as did the state, reported a 5 percent drop in violent crime. He said that statistic was as important as the overall numbers. "We think a 5 percent decrease in violent crime is very significant, and we're happy with that," Cisar said. Johanns said crime statistics should be viewed cautiously and over a period of time. He said this was not the time to declare victory in the war on crime. "Today's numbers lead me to be optimistic that the good life is still a part of Nebraska," he said. "(But) this is no victory whatsoever, and I need to emphasize that. What we need to look at is a trend over time," saying statistics can fluctuate greatly from year to year. For example, 1998 crime statistics recorded a 2 percent increase in overall crime. Of the eight crimes included in the annual report, only two showed an increase for 1999: murder-manslaughter (11 percent) and arson (8 percent). The rise in the homicide rate was nothing to be particularly alarmed about, Curtis said, because it is traditionally a small number in Nebraska and fluctuates greatly year to year. Actual homicides increased from 53 in 1998 to 59 in 1999. Curtis also predicted that despite several high-profile murders this year in rural towns, the homicide rate will remain about the same next year. "My guess is our homicide rate is going to be about 50," he said. As for the increase in arson, Curtis said that also mirrored a national trend. The number of arsons reported in Nebraska increased from 459 in 1998 to 498 last year. "That's been going up every year," he said. Curtis said he has not determined why there was an increase in arson. The number of hate crimes reported in Nebraska decreased by 45 percent, from 51 in 1998 to 28 in 1999. It was only the second year hate crimes have been reported. "There is simply no place in our state for the intolerance demonstrated by hate crimes," Johanns said. "This is the second year of voluntary reporting of this type of crime in Nebraska. We are pleased the number of law enforcement agencies participating rose from 65 percent to 85 percent, while the number of hate crimes decreased by 45 percent." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea