After a decade of turmoil and instability in the Balkans the region has now become one of the safest in Europe, according to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The study indicates that greater stability has led to a reduction in levels of crime against people and property - such as homicide, robbery, rape, burglary, and assault - which are now lower than in Western Europe. The number of murders is also falling throughout the region. This positive trend has been particularly noticeable in the past few years and the report concludes that progress is likely to continue.