North Dakota had 16 murders last year, or seven more than the year before, but the state's overall crime rate dropped, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem says.

The annual Bureau of Criminal Investigation report said 12,531 crimes were reported in 2007, a drop of 4.9 percent from the year before.

The report said 13 of the murder victims last year were killed by someone known to them and seven of the victims died as a result of domestic violence. Twelve of the victims were adults, the report said.

Stenehjem said North Dakota has averaged about 11 homicides annually for the past several years, after a high of 22 in 1993. He said two homicides have been reported so far this year.

Still, North Dakota ranks among the five safest states in the nation and it's getting safer, Stenehjem said. In 1998, the state recorded about 16,500 crimes.

"Overall, the crime rate has dropped and it's a long-term trend," Stenehjem said. "The citizenry tends to be very law abiding, and we have good law enforcement that is getting better and better trained all the time. And the economy is good, and that helps."

The crime report is compiled from information reported by local law enforcement agencies across the state.

Alcohol remains a factor in state crimes. Stenehjem's report said the number of arrests for alcohol-related offenses accounts for about 40 percent of the total arrests in North Dakota, and that has remained steady. He said one-fourth of all adults arrested last year were arrested for drunken driving.

Property crimes accounted for 93 percent of the total crimes reported in 2007. The report said more than $10 million worth of property was reported stolen last year.