This new report from the US Department of Justice (USDOJ) Bureau of Justice Statistics reveals that violent and property crimes have again fallen to their lowest rates since the survey began in 1973. The drop in violent crime continues a downward trend that began in 1994, although rape and sexual assault showed no decline from 1997 to 1998. The biggest drop in property crime was motor vehicle theft, which declined 22 percent from 1997 to 1998. Users may download the survey findings in .pdf format, the spreadsheets in .zip format, and the official press release and highlights in plain text.