State’s Crime Rate Fell in 1993 as Public’s Fear Rose : Law enforcement: Only homicides increased. One researcher says reductions may reflect difficulty in reporting less serious offenses to understaffed police.

Amid rising public concern about crime, the number of reported criminal offenses in California nevertheless fell last year, state Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren said Tuesday.

The only exception to the decline was homicide, which rose 5% in 1993, Lungren said, citing preliminary statistics that included an estimated two-thirds of all reported crimes.

Lungren said the general decline--in violent and property crimes--was a reflection of the state’s tougher approach to criminals in recent years, but he argued that there was still no cause for complacency.

He attributed the increase in murders to what he called “the culture of violence”--the glamorizing of violent behavior in movies, music, video games and professional sports.

But most of the numbers run contrary to the public perception that crime in California is on the rise--a view that prompted speedy approval of the “three strikes and you’re out” legislation. The bill, signed into law this month, increases prison time for felons--most dramatically for those with repeat convictions.

Peter Greenwood, acting director of the RAND Corp.’s criminal justice program, said it is not surprising that crime is declining, even though “the fact contradicts the national hysteria that we’re in the midst of a crime wave.”

Crime rates have been falling nationwide, with California lagging somewhat behind the trend, Greenwood said. “The population is getting older and that means crime goes down.” But he also wondered whether the figures on reported crime reflect the difficulty in reporting less serious crimes to understaffed police departments.

The attorney general pointed out that in recent years the overall crime rate has been well below that of 1980, when it reached its peak in the state.

The figures released Tuesday are from the 63 largest law enforcement jurisdictions in the state--all representing populations of 100,000 or more. These agencies typically account for 65% of all reported crimes in the state. A more complete report for 1993 will be released later this year--one that takes into account increases in population.

The preliminary findings show declines in the same 63 jurisdictions for the following crimes: forcible rape, 8.1%; robbery, 3.7%; aggravated assault, 4%; burglary, 5.2%, and vehicle theft, 3.6%.

Some communities, including the city and county of Los Angeles, reported sharp decreases in crime in 1993, while others, such as the city and county of Riverside, showed marked increases.