BANGOR – Despite a significantly lower homicide rate than the rest of the nation, Maine has too many murders committed by loved ones, Public Safety Commissioner Michael P. Cantara said Tuesday.

“Domestic violence persists as a widespread problem in Maine, demanding the constant attention of law enforcement, victim advocates and prosecutors,” he said.

Cantara’s remarks came on the heels of newly released crime figures for 2003, which showed an overall crime rate decrease of 2.1 percent for the state.

The number of reported domestic assaults increased by 11.4 percent from 2002, second only to arson, which increased 12.1 percent.

Of the 17 homicides in 2003, eight of them, or 47 percent, stemmed from domestic violence. The number of homicides increased just slightly from the 14 that were committed in 2002.

Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland noted, however, that historically the state’s average number of homicides per year was about 25.

To address the growing problem of domestic violence and the consistent percentage of homicides committed by family members, the state established a domestic homicide review panel in 1997 to review the deaths of people who are killed by family or household members. The panel, which meets monthly and reviews details of domestic homicide cases, has reviewed 33 cases over the past six years.

Cantara noted that the number of reported rapes decreased in 2003 by almost 10 percent. Last year the number of reported rapes increased a significant 21.4 percent. There were 353 rapes reported in 2003, compared to 391 in 2002. Rape had increased a total of 58.4 percent in the four previous years.

Violent crime in Maine increased by 1.4 percent, while property crimes decreased by 2.3 percent. Overall crime in Maine has decreased in four of the past five years for a total decrease of 9.6 percent.

The Uniform Crime Reporting Division at the Maine Department of Public Safety tabulates the crime number each year. The numbers are based on reported crimes from local, county and state law enforcement agencies. Crimes that are tabulated include aggravated assault, assault, robbery, burglary, auto theft, larceny theft, arson, rape, domestic violence and murder.

In 2003, 33,708 crimes were reported to Maine police agencies, compared to 34,434 in 2002. In 2003, Maine’s crime rate was 25.81 offenses per 1,000 people.

Though national crime statistics are not yet available, the national average crime rate in 2002 was 41.18 offenses per 1,000 people.

Maine’s violent crime rate continues to be one of the lowest in the nation, with 1.09 violent crimes committed per 1,000 people, compared to the national rate of five violent crimes committed per 1,000 people.

Maine police agencies cleared, mostly by arrest, summons or citation, 9,349 offenses for a clearance rate of 27.7 percent, which was the same percentage rate as 2002.