Crime Statistics

Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)

Developed by the IACP and FBI (1927) Summarizes the incidence and rate of

Reported Reported crimes in America. Utilizes reports from 16,000 law

enforcement agencies. When it began, it utilized reports from 400

cities in 43 states. (1930)

UCR Crime Index

Sum of 7 crimes. Gives a crime rate based on population. Used to fund crime prevention programs. Part I Offenses:

– Murder, Forcible Rape, Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Larceny-Theft and Motor Vehicle Theft.

UCR Crime Index Cont.

Clearance Rate:

The proportion of reported crimes that have been solved through arrest or other means

Based on arrests not convictions

Hierarchy Rule: – When a series of

crimes occur during the same incident, only the most serious crime is counted.

PART I Crimes

Murder Rape Robbery Aggravated Assault Burglary Larceny Theft Motor vehicle Theft Arson

PART I OFFENSES MURDER

– Unlawful killing of one human being by another. May include 1st and 2nd degree murder and manslaughter.

– Not included: suicides, justifiable homicide (self-defense), negligent or accidental deaths, and attempted murders

FORCIBLE RAPE– The carnal knowledge

of a female forcibly against her will.

– Not included: rape of a male and same sex rape. Statutory rape without force

– Least reported of Part 1 offenses.

Crime Clock

Murder

July & August - highest number of reports

most common in southern states persons age 20-24 most likely

victims most perpetrators also 20-24

years-old

Murder

highest clearance rate of Part I offenses (typically over 60%)

firearms most frequent weapon of choice (71%)

knives second most frequent (13%)

MURDER

only 24% committed by strangers

most murders are committed by “acquaintances”

27% are the result of an “argument”

Reasons for NOT reporting rapes:

The lack of belief in ability of police to apprehend the suspect.

The concern that the victim would receive unsympathetic treatment from police.

The desire to avoid the embarrassment of publicity.

Reasons for not reporting Rape

The fear of reprisal by the rapist.

The fear of additional “victimization” by court proceedings.

The desire to keep family/friends from knowing.

RAPE statistics Most rapes are committed by

acquaintances of victim. Most rapists appear to be motivated by

the need to feel powerful. July and August are months with highest

number of reported rapes. December, January, and February are

months with lowest number of reported rapes.

Part I Offenses cont.

Robbery– A personal crime that

involves face-to-face confrontation .

– May involve weapons or intimidation

– Not included: purse snatching and pocket picking

Aggravated Assault– A weapon is involved

or medical attention is needed.

– Includes: attempted assaults when a weapon is used.

– Not included: simple assaults, pushing and shoving and fistfights.

Robbery facts

Most of those arrested are: male (90%) under age 25 (61%) minorities (56%)

Robbery rates in 2002 (per 100,000): large cities – 395.2 rural areas – 17.7

Aggravated Assault Facts

56% clearance rate (lower than murder) summer months highest number

reported Feb., Nov., and Dec. lowest number reported

35% blunt object 28% hands and feet 19% guns 18% knives

Aggravated Assault Facts

Clearance is relatively low because of the uncooperativeness of the victim.

The victim knows assailant. The assailant is either the husband or the

boyfriend. The victim considers offense a “personal”

matter. The victim believes he “got what he deserved.” The victim fears revenge if charges are

pursued.

PART I OFFENSES Cont.

Burglary– Primarily a property crime

– 3 classifications:

• Forcible entry

• Unlawful entry w/o force

• Attempted forcible entry

– Most jurisdictions don’t require forcible entry

Larceny-Theft– Theft FROM a motor

vehicle

– Shoplifting

– Thefts from buildings

– Theft of MV parts and accessories

– Bicycle Theft

– Thefts from coin-operated machines

– Purse snatching

– Pocket picketing

Burglary facts 31% of all burglaries are unlawful

entries. 63% are forcible entries. 6.5% are attempted forcible entries. 2 million burglaries reported in 2001. Daytime burglaries are the most

common. The clearance rate in 2001 was only

13%.

Larceny/Theft Facts

is the most frequently reported crime.

total value of property stolen is around $5.2 billion.

PART I OFFENSES Cont.

Motor Vehicle Theft– Self propelled vehicles

that run on the ground, not on rails.

– Excludes: trains, airplanes, bulldozers, farm equip., ships, boats & spacecraft

Arson

– Intentional and unlawful burning of structures

– Burning of vehicles

– Unable to integrate stats into crime index

– Not many agencies report

Types of Motor Vehicle Theft

short-term transportation long-term transportation commission of another crime profit

• highly organized professionals• amateur auto strippers who steal for

parts.

Types of Motor Vehicle Theft

Carjacking Legally, carjacking is a type of robbery,

not a motor vehicle theft. It accounts for just over 1% of all car

thefts. Victims and perpetrators tend to be

young African-American males. About half of carjackings are committed

by gangs or groups. About 24% of victims sustain injuries.

Arson Facts juveniles are arrested for a greater share

of this crime than any other.

arson for profit – involves a professional arsonist who sets fires for a fee.

arson fraud – involves an owner burning his or her business property to escape financial problems or for insurance.

Major offenses

Rate per 100,000 Number

murder 5.6 16,204forcible rape 33.0 95,136robbery 145.9 420,637Agg. assault 310.1 894,348burglary 746.2 2,151,875larceny-theft 2445.8 7,052,922motor vehicle theft 432.1 1,246,096arson 32.4 74,921

Part II Offenses

Drug-Law violations Driving under the Influence Simple Assault Disorderly Conduct Liquor Law violations Public Drunkenness Fraud Vandalism

Part II Offenses

Weapons Curfew Violations Offenses against the family (nonsupport) Receiving Stolen Property Runaways Forgery and Counterfeiting Sex Offenses Etc.

NIBRS

National Incident Based Reporting System Attempt to improve the UCR Details are gathered about each criminal

incident. Replaces Part I and Part II offenses with 22

general offenses Eliminates hierarchy rule

NIBRS

Reports on the elements of crime such as:– Alcohol or other drug influence.– Type of weapon used.– Location of crime.– Etc.

Distinguishes between attempts and completed crimes.

Records rapes of males and females.

NCVS

National Crime Victimization Survey Dept. of Justice and Bureau of Justice Statistics Based on victim self-reports through a survey Began in 1972 Tries to uncover the “dark figure of crime,” that

which is unreported. Shows that crime is more prevalent than UCR

indicates.

NCVS Cont.

25% of American households are touched by crime each year.

Includes rape, sexual assault, robbery, assault, burglary, personal and household larceny and motor vehicle theft.

Excludes: murder, kidnapping, victimless crimes, commercial robbery and burglary of businesses.

Uses hierarchal counting Surveys people 12 y.o. and older.

NCVS Cont.

Surveys 42,000 households representing 75,000 people.

No business burglaries or thefts. No crimes against young people.

NCVS vs. UCR

NCVS Rape includes victimization of both males and females.

NCVS Includes sexual assault. Arson is not included in the NCVS NCVS = survey: UCR = police depts. report

to FBI

Interesting Facts

The chance of violent attacks is much higher for young black males than any other group.

1in 21 for black males 1 in 369 for white females.

• Crime and the Nation’s Households, 2000.

SPECIAL CATEGORIES

Crime against women Crime against the elderly Hate Crime Corporate and White-Collar Crime Organized Crime Gun Crime Drug Crime High-Tech and Computer crime

Crime Statistics research

Pick one of the following cities and find crime statistics for that city:– New York -Los Angeles– Boston -Houston– Atlanta -New Orleans– Chicago -Miami– Philadelphia -Washington D.C.

City Research Where did you find the statistics for that city? Are the statistics you found based on law

enforcement agency reports or individual surveys?

How many murders were committed in that city in the latest reported year?

How many assaults were committed in that city in the latest reported year?

What race is the majority of the suspects?