Though last week's Central Square rape has increased worries about crime in Cambridge, newly released numbers from the Cambridge Police Department (CPD) show that violent crimes--and crimes of almost all categories--are becoming increasingly rare in the city.

Crime in Cambridge dropped almost 40 percent from 1989 to 1998, and crime levels are expected stay constant this year, according to a police report released two weeks ago.

The city's Third Quarter Crime Report shows that occurrences of almost all Type I crimes have decreased. This category includes more serious crimes like murder, robbery or assault, with violent crime dropping by 13 percent overall.

However, instances of Type II crimes, like drug violations or fraud, rose for the most part by small increments.

Police attribute the decrease to a variety of efforts, including more community outreach programs and more proactive uniformed officers.

"You have to give some credit to the men and women of the police department who are out there every day," says Frank T. Pasquarello, CPD's spokesperson.

It can also be attributed to a self-perpetuating effect--lower crime rates mean police have more time to patrol, which helps to reduce crime even more, according to industry experts.

"Sometimes just seeing a police cruiser in the area is all it takes to stop a crime," Pasquarello says.