The State - News from Jan. 13, 1988

The number of willful homicides in California increased 9% in 1986, with Los Angeles County accounting for almost half of the 3,030 deaths, according to a report released Tuesday by the state. Atty. Gen. John K. Van de Kamp blamed drug and gang activities for the increases, noting that the percentage of homicides attributable to those causes has more than doubled since 1982, from 7.8% to 17.2% of all homicides in 1986, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Homicides attributed to other causes have declined, and without the drug and gang activities, the homicide rate would be lower than a decade ago, Van de Kamp noted. The number of arrests for murder decreased from 2,943 in 1985 to 2,805 in 1986, the report shows.