North Carolina’s reported crime rate in 2008 dropped by more than 2 percent from 2007, according to new statistics released Wednesday.

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Attorney General Roy Cooper held a news conference to explain the statewide trends; violent crime dipped 1.3 percent and property crimes dropped 2.3 percent.

The only “major” crime to show any increase statewide was robbery, which showed an uptick of 2.2 percent.

"These are positive trends, although the reductions are not as significant as we would like to see," said Cooper.

Overall, Raleigh’s crime rate climbed 4 percent, from 14,856 reports to 15,465.

Of the 15 largest cities in the state, Raleigh was the only one to show a significant increase in murders from year to year; there were 23 homicide investigations in 2007 compared to 34 in 2008.

"We believe that about 60% of our murders last year had a robbery nexus -- that is to say that one way or another the murder happened as a result of someone either committing a robbery or involved in a robbery," said Sgt. Kevin Carswell with Raleigh's Police Department.  "This year, that's certainly down because robberies are down."

Carswell said 29 of the murders from last year have already been cleared, and they're actively working investigations on the other five.

As part of his presentation, Cooper outlined plans to take DNA samples from everyone arrested for a felony or violent misdemeanor.

"When we make an arrest, already we take a fingerprint, which we keep on file, we take a photograph, we take significant personal information,” said Cooper.  “It stands to reason that we should also take DNA, which we only use for identification purposes and nothing else."

Under the current rules, DNA samples are only taken from people convicted of crimes, but Cooper said he hopes to get legislative approval for the stricter policies.

Civil rights advocates are already voicing concern over the proposal.

"We think that this basically puts us onto a slippery slope if we start collecting from people who are not actually convicted of a crime yet," said Sarah Preston, legislative counsel for the ACLU of North Carolina.

Preston said DNA samples differ from fingerprints and pictures because there’s a vast amount of personal information in someone’s genetic makeup that goes beyond simply identifying a criminal.

"If law enforcement really thinks that information is important and they need it in their case before the person is convicted, they can get a warrant, which is what's currently required,” said Preston.  “It's considered a search."

Cooper’s proposal would include language allowing someone to have their DNA removed from the database if their charges are dropped or they’re found not guilty.

Preston said even that caveat isn’t enough: "If it is going to go through, then absolutely, there should be an automatic expunction for people who are found to be innocent or their case is otherwise dismissed."

More than a dozen other states already have similar rules on the books.