IN 1976, THERE WERE 396,448 INDEX OFFENSES REPORTED IN NEW JERSEY, A 5 PERCENT INCREASE OVER 1975. THIS IS A CRIME RATE OF 5,334.5 VICTIMS FOR EVERY 100,000 PERMANENT INHABITANTS. HOWEVER, VIOLENT CRIME DECLINED 3 PERCENT, THE FIRST RECORDED DECREASE IN A CALENDAR YEAR. MURDERS DECREASED 24 PERCENT. THERE WERE 14,715 ROBBERIES, THE LOWEST VOLUME SINCE 1970. IN 1976, 16 PERCENT OF ALL MURDERS RESULTED FROM ROBBERIES. LARCENIES RECORDED THE LARGEST INCREASE OF ANY INDEX OFFENSE, 12 PERCENT. LARCENIES OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS AND ACCESSORIES INCREASED 35 PERCENT AND AMOUNTED TO $18 MILLION; THEY ACCOUNTED FOR 44 PERCENT OF ALL LARCENIES REPORTED IN 1976. DURING THE PEROID 1972-1976, RURAL CRIME INCREASED 71 PERCENT, SUBURBAN CRIME 59 PERCENT, AND URBAN CRIME 29 PERCENT. DURING 1976, THERE WERE 335,330 PERSONS ARRESTED, AN INCREASE OF 2 PERCENT. PERSONS OVER 18 ACCOUNTED FOR 75 PERCENT OF ALL VIOLENT CRIME ARRESTS, PERSONS UNDER 18 FOR 53 PERCENT OF ALL PROPERTY CRIME ARRESTS. ARRESTS FOR DRUG VIOLATIONS REFLECTED A 3 PERCENT DECREASE, THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE ANNUAL DECREASE SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE STATEWIDE UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING PROGRAM IN 1977. A RECORD NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS WERE ASSAULTED OR KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY; 5 NEW JERSEY OFFICERS WERE KILLED AND 3,903 ASSAULTED. THIS REPRESENTS A RATE OF 21.5 OF EVERY 100 MUNICIPAL POLICE OFFICERS ASSAULTED IN 1976.