Analyzing and reviewing the trends in the number of reported cases of general penal code offenses except for larceny over the last five years, the following characteristics were revealed.
(1)Significant increase in the number of types of offenses that are of violent nature
  In the last five years, the numbers of reported cases has shown a notable increase in both robbery (by 110.0%) in the category of heinous offenses and extortion (by 54.8%) in the category of violent offenses, the latter sharing borders with robbery. In the category of sexual offenses, there has also been a sharp rise in the numbers of reported cases of violent offenses in the same period, such as rape (by 52.4%) and indecent assault (by 84.1%). In the category of violent offenses not for the purpose of obtaining property, the number of cases, including bodily injury (by 68.9%) and assault (by 104.4%), has rapidly increased during the same period. As for other penal code offenses, destruction of objects, which falls under the category of violent cases, has significantly increased (by 141.6%) during the same period.
  The increased number of reported cases of the four types of offenses that were of violent nature, i. e. robbery, bodily injury, indecent assault and destruction of objects, accounted for as much as 78.7% of the overall increased number of reported cases of general penal code offenses except for larceny in the last five years.
(2)Increase in the number of offenses that are related or close to larceny
  Offenses such as breaking&entering and illegal transaction of stolen property are not necessarily required for committing larceny or disposing stolen goods, but are actually involved with commitment of larceny or disposal of stolen goods in many cases. The number of reported cases of breaking&entering, which had been on a flat trend until 1996, started to show a clear rise in 1997. Similarly, the number of reported cases of illegal transaction of stolen property, which had been on the decline until 1996, took an upward turn in 1997.