Crime characteristics
Crime characteristics Summary findings | BJS publications | Selected statistics | Also by BJS staff | Related sites -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summary findings Violent Crime Trends | Victim/offender relationship | Time | Place | Weapon use | Role of alcohol Property Crime Trends | Home ownership| Region | Urban, suburban, rural Violent Crime Violent crime includes murder, rape and sexual assault, robbery, and assault. Trends Violent crime rates declined since 1994, reaching the lowest level ever recorded in 2004. Trends in violent victimizations, 1973-2004 See trends for Murder, Rape, Robbery, Assault To the top Victim/offender relationship Males were equally likely to be violently victimized by a stranger or nonstranger, and females were more likely to be victimized by a friend, an acquaintance, or an intimate. During 2004 -- About seven in ten female rape or sexual assault victims stated the offender was an intimate, other relative, a friend or an acquaintance. Sixty-two percent of males and 45% of females stated the individual(s) who robbed them was a stranger. Intimates were identified by the victims of workplace violence as the perpetrator in about 1% of all workplace violent crime. About 40% of the victims of nonfatal violence in the workplace reported that they knew their offender. For murder victims, 43% were related to or acquainted with their assailants; 14% of victims were murdered by strangers, while 43% of victims had an unknown relationship to their murderer in 2002. Two thirds of murders of children under the age of 5 were committed by a parent or other family member. Intimate violence Female victims are more likely to be victimized by intimates than male victims. In 2004, of those offenders victimizing females, 21% were described as intimates and 34% as strangers. By contrast, of those offenders victimizing males, 4% were described as intimates and 50% as strangers. The rate of nonfatal intimate violence against females declined by nearly half between 1993 and 2001. Between 1976 and 2002, about 11% of murder victims were determined to have been killed by an intimate The sharpest decrease in number of intimate murders has been for black male victims. A 81% percent decrease in the number of black men murdered by intimates occurred between 1976 and 2002 . To the top Time of occurrence In 2004 - 51% of incidents of violent crime occurred during the day between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Almost two-thirds of the rapes/sexual assaults occurred at night from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. To the top Place of occurrence Workplace | School | Region | Urban, suburban, rural In 2004 - The location of about a quarter of incidents of violent crime was at or near the victim's home. Among common locales for violent crimes were on streets other than those near the victim's home (15%), at school (14%), or at a commercial establishment (8%). Of the violent crimes that occurred away from home, about half occurred within a mile from home and 75% within five miles. Only 3% of victims of violent crime reported that the crime took place more than fifty miles from their home. Of victims of violent crime, 22% were involved in some form of leisure activity away from home at the time of their victimization, 23% said they were at home, and another 20% mentioned they were at work or traveling to or from work when the crime occurred. Workplace violence Of selected occupations examined from 1993 to 1999, police officers were the most vulnerable to be victims of workplace violence, as well as correctional officers, taxicab drivers, private security workers, and bartenders. While working or on duty, U.S. residents experienced 1.7 million violent victimizations annually from 1993 to 1999 including 1.3 million simple assaults, 325,000 aggravated assaults, 36,500 rapes and sexual assaults, 70,000 robberies, and 900 homicides. Workplace violence accounted for 18% of all violent crime between 1993 to 1999. Police officers were victims of a nonfatal violent crime while they were working or on duty between 1993 to 1999 at a rate of 261 per 1,000 officers. To the top School violence Between 1992 and 2002, crime in the Nation's schools for students age 12-18 fell, a pattern consistent with the decline in the national crime rate. In every year from 1992 to 2002, students age 12-18 wee more likely to experience a serious violent crime away from school than at school. In 2003, about 7% of public and private school students age 12-18 reported that they have been bullied at school within the past six months. Among high school students in grades 9-12, the percent who said they got into a fight on school property declined from 16% to 13% between 1993 and 2003. In 2003, 12% of male students and 6% of female student reported experiencing a threat or injury. Region Western and Midwestern residents were victims of violent crime overall at similar rates, 2004. In 2004 -- 26 Westerners, 24 Midwesterners, 20 Southerners and 16 Northeasterners per 1,000 were violent crime victims. See also Homicide Trends in the United States and Data Online for characteristics of homicide victims by State and large locality. To the top Urban, suburban and rural Urban residents had the highest violent victimization rates, followed by suburban resident rates. Rural residents had the lowest rates. In 2004-- Six urban residents, four suburban residents and four rural residents per 1,000 were victims of an aggravated assault. Suburban and rural residents were victims of violence other than rape/sexual assault at similar rates during 2004. See also Homicide Trends in the United States and Data Online for characteristics of homicide victims by State and large locality. To the top Weapon use In 2004, 22% of the incidents of violent crime, a weapon was present. Offenders had or used a weapon in 46% of all robberies, compared with 20% of all aggravated assaults and 8% of all rapes/sexual assaults in 2004. Homicides are most often committed with guns, especially handguns. In 2003, 53% of homicides were committed with handguns, 16% with other guns, 13% with knives, 5% with blunt objects, and 16% with other weapons. To the top The role of alcohol in crime victimization About 1 million violent crimes occurred in 2002 in which victims perceived the offender to have been drinking at the time of the offense. Among those victims who provided information about the offender's use of alcohol, about 30% of the victimizations involved an offender who had been drinking. Two-thirds of victims who suffered violence by an intimate (a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend) reported that alcohol had been a factor. Among spouse victims, 3 out of 4 incidents were reported to have involved an offender who had been drinking. By contrast, an estimated 31% of stranger victimizations where the victim could determine the absence or presence of alcohol were perceived to be alcohol-related. For about 1 in 5 violent victimizations involving perceived alcohol use by the offender, victims also reported they believed the offender to have been using drugs as well. To the top Property crime Property crimes include burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft. Trends After declining for many years, property crime rates stabilized after 2002. Trends in property crime victimizations, 1973-2004 See trends in burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft. Property crime makes up slightly more than three-quarters of all crime in the United States. Overall, in about 85% of all burglaries, the offender gained entry into the victims residence or other building on the property. In about 77% of all motor vehicle thefts, the vehicle was stolen. Of the 14 million completed thefts of property in 2004, there were 4.1 million property thefts of less than $50, 4.9 million between $50 and $249, and 3.3 million of $250 or more. Home ownership Property crime, regardless of the type, occurred more often to those living in rented property. In 2004-- Households in rented property experienced 201 property crimes per 1,000 households, while those that own their homes experienced 143 property crimes per 1,000 households. Households living in rented property had almost twice the rate of motor vehicle theft than those in owned property. To the top Region The Western portion of the nation experiences the highest rates of property crime overall in the nation. In 2004-- Western households had higher rates of property theft and motor vehicle theft of all regions. To the top Urban, suburban and rural Urban households have historically been and continue to be the most vulnerable to property crime, burglary, motor vehicle theft and theft in the United States. In 2004-- Urban households experienced all forms of property crime at rates higher than those for suburban or rural households. To the top -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BJS publications This list is in order of the most recent publication first. Additional titles are listed on other topical pages and a comprehensive list is contained on the BJS publications page. To see a full abstract of a publication with links to electronic versions of the publication, click on the title below. Criminal Victimization 2004, 9/05. Presents estimates of national levels and rates of personal and property victimization for the year 2004. NCJ 210674 Criminal Victimization 2003, 9/04. 205455 Criminal Victimization 2002, 8/03. NCJ 199994 Criminal Victimization 2001: Changes 2000-2001 with Trends 1993-2001, 9/02. NCJ 194610 Criminal Victimization 2000: Changes 1999-2000 with Trends 1993-2000, 6/01. NCJ 187007 Criminal Victimization 1999: Changes 1998-99 with Trends 1993-99, 8/00. NCJ 182734 Criminal Victimization 1998: Changes 1997-98 with Trends 1993-98, 7/99. NCJ 176353 Criminal Victimization 1997: Changes 1996-97 with Trends 1993-97, 12/98. NCJ 173385 Criminal Victimization 1996: Changes 1995-96 with Trends 1993-96, 11/97. NCJ 165812 Previous editions (non-electronic) Violence by Gang Members, 1993-2003 06/05. Provides estimates of the number and rate of violent crimes committed by offenders that victims perceived to be members of gangs based on National Crime Victimization Survey data. NCJ 208875 Family Violence Statistics: Including Statistics on Strangers and Acquaintances, 6/05. Compares family and nonfamily violence statistics from victimization through the different stages of the justice system. NCJ 207846 Violent Victimization of College Students, 1995-2002, 1/05. Examines the incidence of college student victimization and compares the findings to persons of similar ages in the general population. NCJ 206836 Violent Victimization of College Students, 12/03. NCJ 196143 Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2004, 11/04. Examines crime occurring in school as well as on the way to and from school. A collaborative report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Center for Education Statistics, it presents data on crime at school from the perspectives of students, teachers, principals, and the general population, using a comprehensive array of sources. NCJ 205290 Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2003, 10/03. NCJ 201257 Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2002, 11/02. NCJ 196753 Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2001, 10/01. NCJ 190075 Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2000, 10/00. NCJ 184176 Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 1999, 9/99. NCJ 178906 Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 1998, 10/98. NCJ 172215 Homicide Trends in the United States: 2002 Update, 11/04. Outlines the primary findings from the section of the BJS website about homicide patterns and trends since 1976 (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/homtrnd.htm). NCJ 204885 In print and electronic formats: Homicide Trends in the United States: 2000 Update, 1/03 . NCJ 197471 Homicide Trends in the United States: 1998 Update, 3/00. NCJ 179767 Homicide Trends in the United States, 1/99. NCJ 173956 Crime and the Nation's Households, 2003, 10/04. Presents national prevalence estimates for the percentage of households with one or more persons who were victimized by crime as measured by the National Crime Victimization Survey. NCJ 206348 Crime and the Nation's Households, 2002, 2/04. NCJ 201797 Crime and the Nation's Households, 2000 with Trends 1994-2000, 09/02. NCJ 194107 Crime and the Nation's Households, 1992, 9/93 . NCJ 143288 Carjacking, 1993-2002, 07/04. Presents data for carjackings that occurred in the United States between 1993 and 2002. NCJ 205123 Carjackings in the United States, 1992-96, 3/99. NCJ 171145 Carjacking, 3/94. NCJ 147002 Cybercrime against Businesses: Pilot Testing Results, 2001 Computer Security Survey, 3/04. Describes the history, development, and implementation of the pilot Computer Security Survey conducted during the last half of 2002. NCJ 200639 Criminal Victimization in the United States, Presents 110 tables with detailed data on major variables measured by the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). In electronic only formats: Criminal Victimization in the United States - Statistical tables, 2003, 7/05. NCJ 207811 2002, 12/03. NCJ 200561 2001, 1/03. NCJ 197064 2000, 8/02. NCJ 188290 1999, 1/01. NCJ 184938 1998, 5/00. NCJ 181585 1997, 9/00. NCJ 174446 1996, 9/00. NCJ 174445 See the Table index to find the right table in the electronic only collection. In printed and electronic formats: Criminal Victimization in the United States 1995, 5/00. NCJ 171129 Criminal Victimization in the United States 1994, 5/97. NCJ 162126 Criminal Victimization in the United States 1993, 5/96. NCJ 151657 Criminal Victimization in the United States 1992, 5/95. NCJ 145125 Previous editions (non-electronic) Weapon Use and Violent Crime, 1993-2001, 9/03. Discusses the nature and prevalence of violent crime by armed offenders, and the consequences to the victims, age 12 or older, from 1993 through 2001. NCJ 194820 Reporting Crime to the Police, 03/03. Presents National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) data from 1992 to 2000 on non-lethal crimes against persons age 12 or older that were reported to police. NCJ 195710 Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2001, 2/03. Reports on trends in intimate partner violence of persons age 12 or older in the United States using data from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) and the FBI's Supplementary Homicide Reports. This Crime Data Brief updates some of the data in Intimate Partner Violence, a more detailed report on this subject published in 2000. NCJ 197838 Third-Party Involvement in Violent Crime, 1993-99, 7/02. Presents detailed information about third-party involvement in violent crime, using the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). NCJ 189100 Violence in the Workplace, 1993-99, 12/01. Presents data for 1993 through 1999 from the National Crime Victimization Survey estimating the extent of workplace crime in the United States. NCJ 190076 Other publications on this topic: Workplace Violence, 1992-96, 7/98. NCJ 168634 Violence and Theft in the Workplace, 7/94. NCJ 148199 Intimate Partner Violence and Age of Victim, 10/01. Provides estimates of violence by intimates (current or former spouses, girlfriends, and boyfriends) with an emphasis on the victim's age using the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), 1993-99. NCJ 187635 Hate Crimes Reported in NIBRS, 1997-99, 9/01. Utilizes data from the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting Program (NIBRS) to describe hate crimes reported to law enforcement in NIBRS-participating jurisdictions, between 1997 and 1999. NCJ 186765 Injuries from Violent Crime, 1992-98, 6/01. Presents data from the redesigned National Crime Victimization Survey, examining injuries as a result of violent victimizations. NCJ 168633 Policing and Homicide, 1976-98: Justifiable Homicide of Felons by Police and Murder of Police by Felons, 03/01. Presents annual trends from 1976 to 1998 in two types of homicide: justifiable homicides of felons by police, and murders of police officers by felons. NCJ 180987 Violent Victimization and Race, 1993-98, 3/01. Presents incidence estimates and per capita rates of violent victimization of whites, blacks, American Indians and Asians in 1998, and includes victimization trends, 1993-98. NCJ 176354 Sexual Victimization of College Women, 1/01. A joint report from BJS and the National Institute of Justice which explores the prevalence and nature of sexual assault occurring at colleges throughout the nation. NCJ 182369 Urban, Suburban, and Rural Victimization, 1993-98, 10/00 Examines the extent of criminal victimization in urban, suburban, and rural areas using 1993 to 1998 National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) data. NCJ 182031 Firearm Injury and Death from Crime, 1993-97 10/00 Reports on the incidence of fatal and nonfatal firearm injuries that result from crime. Most of the data presented are from the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Reports and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Vital Statistics and the Firearms Injury Surveillance Study which collects data on injuries treated in hospital emergency departments. NCJ 182993 Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics 7/00. Presents findings from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) regarding sexual assault, especially of young children. NCJ 182990 Intimate Partner Violence, 5/00. Provides information on fatal and nonfatal violence by intimates (current or former spouses, girlfriends, or boyfriends) from 1993 through 1998. NCJ 178247 Criminal Victimization and Perceptions of Community Safety in 12 Cities, 1998, 6/99. Presents survey data from 12 cities regarding criminal victimization and residents' attitudes toward their neighborhood, their city, and the local policing services. NCJ 173940 Perceptions of Neighborhood Crime, 1995, 5/98. Presents data from the American Housing Survey (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) and the BJS National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) about how residents perceive crime in their neighborhoods and their relative likelihood of victimization. NCJ 165811 Students' Report of School Crime: 1989 and 1995, 4/98. Compares findings from the 1989 and 1995 School Crime Supplements to the BJS National Crime Victimization Survey, discussing student reports of victimization, drug availability, street gang presence, and gun presence at school. NCJ 169607 Alcohol and Crime, 4/98. Provides an overview of national information on the role of alcohol in violent victimization and its use among those convicted of crimes, including victim perceptions of alcohol use by offenders at the time of the crime. NCJ 168632 Violence by Intimates, 3/98. Reports findings about violence between people who have an intimate relationship -- spouses, exspouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, and former boyfriends and girlfriends from statistical data maintained by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. NCJ 167237 Sex Differences in Violent Victimization, 1994, 9/97. Contains detailed information about specific violent crime types and contextual characteristics of violence against both women and men and their relationship to those who victimize them. NCJ 164508 Violence-Related Injuries Treated in Hospital Emergency Departments, 8/97. Presents findings from a study of violence related-injuries treated in hospital emergency departments in 1994. The study was conducted using the Consumer Product Safety Commission's National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) program. NCJ 156921 Sex Offenses and Offenders 2/97. Reports on more than two dozen statistical datasets maintained by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and on data from the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program of the FBI to provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge about the incidence and prevalence of violent victimization by sexual assault, the response of the criminal justice system to such crimes, and the characteristics of those who commit sexual assault or rape. NCJ 163392 Domestic and Sexual Violence Data Collection: A Report to Congress Under the Violence Against Women Act, 7/96. Reports how States and the Federal government collect data on the incidence of sexual and domestic violence offenses. NCJ 161405 Violence between Intimates, 11/94. Using data from a variety of sources, this report examines murders, rapes, robberies, and assaults committed by spouses, ex-spouses, boyfriends, or girlfriends. NCJ 149259 Murder in Families, 7/94. This BJS Special Report is a survey of murder cases disposed in 1988 in the courts of large urban counties. NCJ 143498 Crime and Neighborhoods , 7/94. Compares victimization levels and perceptions of neighborhood crime for the Nation's households using data from a variety of sources. NCJ 147005 Guns and Crime: Handgun Victimization, Firearm Self-Defense, and Firearm Theft, 5/94. Provides estimates of the extent of handgun crime in the United States through 1992, as well as estimates from the National Crime Victimization Survey of thefts of firearms and the extent of firearm use for self-defense. NCJ 147003 Violent Crime, 4/94. Summarizes 1973-92 trends in rape, robbery, and assault from the National Crime Victimization Survey; homicide data from Vital Statistics of the United States, National Center for Health Statistics; and 1992 murder data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reports. NCJ 147486 The Costs of Crime to Victims, 2/94. Provides information on both the overall and the average cost of crime to victims. NCJ 145865 School Crime 1991, 9/91. Analyzes the experiences of U.S. students in grades 6-12 regarding crime victimization at school, the availability of illicit substances, gang presence, fear of crime, and school security measures. NCJ 131645 To the top -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Selected statistics Criminal Victimization in the United States - Statistical tables in spreadsheet and portable document format files. Subjects include: Demography of victims Victims and offenders Geography The crime event Victims and the criminal justice system Series victimization 1996-2003 data are currently available, 6/05 To find tables using keywords, see the Table index. See Data Online for State and local data on crime trends and homicide trends and victim characteristics To the top -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also by BJS Staff Greenfeld, Lawrence A., and Maureen A. Henneberg, "Victim and Offender Self-Reports of Alcohol Involvement in Crime," (pdf file), Alcohol Research and Health, Journal of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Volume 25, Number 1, 2001 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related sites From BJS Data Online for criminal offenses and homicide trends by State and locality. Firearms and Crime Homicide Trends in the United States Other relevant sites Reports from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: Child Abuse Reported to the Police Juvenile Victims of Property Crimes In The Crossfire: The Impact of Gun Violence on Public Housing Communities (Pdf file, 222 KB) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development which includes data from the National Crime Victimization Survey. Office for Victims of Crime Violence Against Women Office National Center for Education Statistics Crime and Safety Surveys , National Center for Education Statistics For access to clickable links go to link