BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho's overall crime rate slipped 1.5 percent in 2012, as law enforcement said a decrease in the rate of simple assaults helped offset rising violent crimes and drug cases.

That's according to the Idaho State Police's annual report entitled "Crime in Idaho," released Tuesday. The crime rate is 5,086 per 100,000 residents. Idaho has the second-lowest rate in the West. Only Utah had a lower crime rate, based on the most-recently available numbers. The number of violent crimes last year increased 5.2 percent from 2011 with 3,242 violent crime offenses reported to law enforcement.

But that was offset by a 4.1 percent decrease of simple assault offenses, which account for more than two-thirds of crimes against persons. Statewide, there were 27 murders in 2012. That's down from 31 in 2011.

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