By Illinois Public Radio/AP
Springfield, Ill – Illinois' overall crime rate dropped again in the past year, the eleventh straight year of decline.
Murder and theft cases were down. The numbers also reflect the first year in which the state's meth response teams were in operation.
Crimes such as robbery, burglary, arson and sexual assault all rose slightly last year.
And the crime rate increased across most of the Metro East area.
It went up 6.5 percent in Madison County and 0.4 percent in St. Clair County.
Both counties had an increase in drug-related arrests as part of a State Police crackdown on methamphetamine sales.