Uniform
Crime Reports at FBI.GOV
Uniform
Crime Reporting Program Releases Crime Statistics
for 2002
Washington, DC -- Nationally, the volume of crime
reported to law enforcement in 2002 (estimated
at 11.9 million offenses) increased by less than
one-tenth of one percent when compared to the
2001 volume, the Federal Bureau of Investigation
reported today. Five- and 10-year trend data showed
that the 2002 estimated volume was 4.9 percent
lower than the 1998 volume and 16.0 percent lower
than the 1993 volume. The FBI's Uniform Crime
Reporting (UCR) Program released this information
today in its annual publication, Crime in the
United States, 2002.
In
2002, more than 17,000 city, county, and state
law enforcement agencies voluntarily provided
data on serious crime: 4 violent crimes (murder
and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape,
robbery, and aggravated assault) and 3 property
crimes (burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle
theft) to the UCR Program. These agencies represented
93.4 percent of the total U.S. population as established
by the U.S. Bureau of the Census.
Violent
Crime
·
In the United States, the estimated volume of
violent crime reported to law enforcement decreased
0.9 percent in 2002, with 1.4 million estimated
offenses. Five- and 10-year trend data revealed
the estimated number of violent crimes was 7.0
percent lower than the 1998 number and 25.9 percent
less than the 1993 number.
·
Cumulatively, the Nation's cities experienced
a 1.9-percent decrease in the volume of violent
crime. Rural counties in the United States had
a collective decline of 1.2 percent in violent
crime, and suburban counties experienced a 1.0-percent
increase in violent crime.
·
The rate for violent crime, an estimated 494.6
offenses per 100,000 in population, decreased
2.0 percent when compared to the 2001 rate.
·
The weapon data collected for murder, robbery,
and aggravated assault showed that offenders used
personal weapons, such as hands, fists, and feet,
in 31.2 percent of these crimes. Firearms were
involved in 26.8 percent of murders, robberies,
and aggravated assaults, and knives or cutting
instruments were used in 14.9 percent. Other types
of weapons were used in 27.1 percent of murders,
robberies, and aggravated assaults.
·
Nationally, law enforcement cleared 46.8 percent
of reported violent crime in 2002. Murders were
cleared at a rate of 64.0 percent, aggravated
assaults had a clearance rate of 56.5 percent,
forcible rapes were cleared at a rate of 44.5
percent, and robberies had a clearance rate of
25.7 percent.
·
During 2002, 11.9 percent of all clearances involved
juveniles only. Juveniles were involved in 12.3
percent of clearances in suburban counties, they
were a part of 12.1 percent of clearances in cities,
and juveniles were involved in 9.6 percent of
clearances in rural counties.
·
Law enforcement made an estimated 620,510 arrests
for violent crimes during 2002. Females comprised
17.4 percent of all violent crime arrestees. Individuals
under the age of 25 made up 43.7 percent of all
violent crime arrestees.
Property
Crime
·
The estimated volume of reported property crime
increased 0.1 percent in 2002 when compared to
the 2001 number. Trend data for 5 and 10 years
showed that the volume was 4.6 percent lower than
the 1998 volume and 14.5 percent lower than the
1993 volume.
·
A breakdown of the data by population group showed
that property crime decreased 0.3 percent in the
Nation's cities collectively. Rural counties experienced
an increase of 0.7 percent, and suburban counties
had a collective increase of 1.0 percent in the
volume of property crime in 2002.
·
The 2002 property crime rate estimated at 3,624.1
offenses per 100,000 inhabitants decreased 0.9
percent from the 2001 number.
·
In 2002, the estimated dollar loss associated
with property crime (excluding arson) was $16.6
billion, an increase of less than 0.3 percent
from the 2001 estimate. Motor vehicle theft caused
a loss of $8.4 billion, larceny-theft accounted
for a loss of $4.9 billion, and burglary resulted
in a loss of $3.3 billion.
·
Nationally, in 2002, law enforcement cleared 16.5
percent of all reported property crime. Juveniles
were involved in 20.3 percent of clearances for
property crime.
·
Law enforcement made an estimated 1.6 million
arrests for property crime offenses during 2002.
Females made up 30.7 percent of all property crime
arrestees, and adults comprised 70.2 percent of
all property crime arrestees.
Crime
Rate
·
The crime rate standardizes the volume of crime
by measuring it per 100,000 U.S. resident population.
In 2002, the estimated volume of the reported
serious crime per 100,000 was 4,118.8, which reflected
a 1.1-percent decrease when compared to the 2001
rate, a 10.9-percent decrease when compared to
the 1998 rate, and a 24.9-percent decrease when
compared to the 1993 rate.
·
Regionally, the South had a crime rate of 4,721.9
serious crimes per 100,000 inhabitants, the West
a rate of 4,418.8, the Midwest a rate of 3,883.1,
and the Northeast a rate of 2,889.0 serious crimes
per 100,000 in population in 2002. A comparison
of this year's crime rate with the 2001 rate showed
that the Northeast had a decrease of 3.7 percent,
the Midwest experienced a decrease of 2.4 percent,
the South had a decrease of 1.2 percent, and the
West had an increase of 1.6 percent.
· A breakdown of the data by community
type showed that Metropolitan Statistical Areas
(MSAs) had an estimated rate of 4,409.1 reported
offenses per 100,000 inhabitants. Cities outside
the Nation's MSAs had a rate of 4,524.0, and rural
counties had a rate of 1,908.7 reported offenses
per 100,000 in population.
Crime
Clearances
·
Nationwide, law enforcement agencies reported
that 20.0 percent of serious crimes were cleared
by arrest or exceptional means in 2002. Agencies
collectively cleared 46.8 percent of violent crimes,
with murder having the highest percentage of clearances
at 64.0 percent. They also cleared 16.5 percent
of property crimes, with larceny-theft having
the highest percentage (18.0) of clearances among
the property crimes.
·
Of the serious crimes cleared by law enforcement
in 2002, 18.0 percent involved only juveniles.
Juvenile offenders accounted for 11.9 percent
of violent crime clearances and 20.3 percent of
property crime clearances.
Arrests
·
In 2002, law enforcement agencies nationwide made
an estimated 13.7 million arrests (excluding traffic
violations).
·
In relation to the total U.S. population, the
Nation's arrest rate was estimated at 4,783.4
arrests per 100,000 inhabitants.
·
The violent crime arrest rate was 217.9 arrests
per 100,000 inhabitants, and the property crime
arrest rate was 570.5 arrests per 100,000 inhabitants.
·
During 2002, the Nation's cities collectively
had an arrest rate of 5,170.2 per 100,000 in population.
Suburban counties had an arrest rate of 3,841.5,
and rural counties had an arrest rate of 4,025.6
arrests per 100,000 inhabitants.
·
The total number of arrests increased 0.5 percent
from 2001 to 2002.
·
Arrests for violent crimes decreased 0.8 percent
from the 2001 number, and arrests for property
crimes increased 0.6 percent.
·
Arrests for drug abuse violations and driving
under the influence accounted for an estimated
21.8 percent of all arrests.
·
Nationwide, adults accounted for 83.5 percent
of persons arrested in 2002. Juveniles were most
often arrested for larceny-theft, and adults were
most often arrested for driving under the influence.
·
Overall, when compared to the number of arrests
during 2001, arrests of adults increased 1.2 percent,
and arrests of juveniles decreased 3.0 percent.
·
In 2002, males comprised 77.0 percent of all arrestees.
Males also accounted for 82.6 percent of those
arrested for violent crimes and 69.3 percent of
those arrested for property crimes. The offenses
for which males were most often arrested were
drug abuse violations and driving under the influence.
· The number of females arrested in 2002
increased 2.1 percent from the 2001 number. The
offense for which females were most often arrested
was larceny-theft.
·
By race, 70.7 percent of all arrestees in 2002
were white. The offense for which whites were
arrested most often was driving under the influence.
The offense for which blacks were arrested most
often was drug abuse violations.
Murder
·
The violent crime of murder is the most serious
crime in the UCR hierarchy. An estimated 16,204
murders took place in 2002, a 1.0-percent increase
over the 2001 estimate. A comparison of the data
from 5 and 10 years ago showed that the 2002 estimate
decreased 4.5 percent from the 1998 estimate and
33.9 percent from the 1993 estimate.
·
During 2002, law enforcement agencies provided
supplemental homicide data for 14,054 homicides.
In 2002, 90.1 percent of murder victims were adults.
Males accounted for 76.8 percent of murder victims.
Juveniles accounted for 8.2 percent of all male
victims and 15.3 percent of all female victims.
By race, 48.7 percent of murder victims were white,
48.5 percent were black, and 2.7 percent were
of other races.
·
During 2002, the relationship between the victim
and the offender was unknown for 42.8 percent
of the victims. Among the incidents for which
the victims' relationship to their killers was
known, 22.2 percent were related to their murderers,
53.4 percent were acquainted with their offenders,
and 24.4 percent did not know their killers.
·
Husbands and boyfriends killed 32.1 percent of
female victims, and wives and girlfriends murdered
2.7 percent of male victims.
·
Data from single victim/single offender incidents
indicated that 92.3 percent of black victims were
slain by black offenders, and 84.7 percent of
white victims were slain by white offenders.
·
In 2002, 71.1 percent of reported murders involved
a firearm. Offenders used knives or cutting instruments
in 13.4 percent of the murders, personal weapons
(hands, fist, feet, etc.) in 7.1 percent, and
blunt objects in 5.1 percent of incidents. Other
weapon types (poison, arson, etc.) accounted for
the remainder.
·
Felonious acts (forcible rape, robbery, arson,
etc.) were the circumstances surrounding 16.5
percent of the murder offenses in 2002. Another
0.5 percent of murders involved circumstances
suspected of being felonious in nature. Arguments
were the cause of 27.5 percent of the murders,
and 23.0 percent involved other types of circumstances
(brawls, sniper attacks, etc.). Circumstances
were unknown in 32.6 percent of the incidents.
Forcible
Rape
·
There were an estimated 95,136 forcible rapes
in 2002, an increase of 4.7 percent when compared
to the 2001 estimate.
· During 2002, an estimated 64.8 of every
100,000 females in the country were victims of
forcible rape, an increase of 3.5 percent from
the 2001 rate of 62.6. In comparison with rates
of 5 and 10 years ago, the 2002 rate of forcible
rapes of females was 3.9 percent below the 1998
rate and 19.4 percent below the 1993 rate.
·
By community type, cities outside MSAs had the
highest rate of forcible rape, estimated at 75.9
forcible rapes for every 100,000 females. MSAs
had a rate of 66.5 forcible rapes per 100,000
females, and rural counties had a rate of 46.8
forcible rapes for every 100,000 females.
·
Law enforcement cleared 44.5 percent of forcible
rapes nationwide.
Robbery
·
There were an estimated 420,637 robberies in 2002,
a 0.7-percent decrease from the 2001 number. The
robbery rate nationwide was 145.9 per 100,000
inhabitants, a decrease of 1.7 percent from the
2001 rate.
·
Robbery accounted for 3.5 percent of reported
serious crime in 2002 and comprised an estimated
29.5 percent of the violent crimes.
·
Robbery resulted in an estimated $539 million
loss, or an average loss of $1,281 per incident.
Bank robberies resulted in the highest average
loss at $4,763 per incident.
·
In 2002, offenders used firearms in 42.1 percent
of the robberies reported by law enforcement.
Another 39.9 percent of robberies involved strong-arm
tactics, and offenders used knives or cutting
instruments in 8.7 percent of robbery offenses.
Other weapons were used in 9.3 percent of robberies.
Aggravated
Assault
·
The estimated 894,348 aggravated assaults that
occurred in 2002 marked the ninth consecutive
year of decline for that offense, a decrease of
1.6 percent from the 2001 estimate. The 2002 figure
reflected a decrease of 8.4 percent from the 1998
number and a decrease of 21.2 percent from the
1993 number.
·
Aggravated assaults accounted for 62.7 percent
of the violent crimes in 2002. There were an estimated
310.1 reported victims of aggravated assault per
100,000 inhabitants. This rate was 2.7 percent
lower than in 2001, 14.2 percent lower than in
1998, and 29.6 percent lower than in 1993.
·
Personal weapons, such as hands, fist, and feet,
were used in 27.7 percent of reported aggravated
assaults in 2002. Law enforcement reported that
firearms were used in 19.0 percent of aggravated
assaults, and knives or other cutting instruments
were used in 17.8 percent. Other weapon types
were used in 35.4 percent of the aggravated assaults
in 2002.
Burglary
·
There were an estimated 2.2 million burglaries
in 2002, a 1.7-percent increase over the 2001
number. The burglary rate was estimated at 746.2
per 100,000 in population, an increase of 0.6
percent over the 2001 rate.
· Losses due to burglary totaled an estimated
$3.3 billion in 2002, with an average value of
$1,549 per offense. The majority of burglaries,
65.8 percent, were residential in nature, and
61.7 percent of these occurred during daytime
hours.
·
Forcible entry burglaries accounted for 62.8 percent
of all burglary offenses, unlawful entry comprised
30.8 percent, and attempted forcible entry accounted
for approximately 6.5 percent.
·
Among the 7 serious crimes for which law enforcement
report data, burglary had the lowest percentage
of clearances at 13.0 percent.
Larceny-theft
·
Law enforcement reported an estimated 7.1 million
larceny-theft offenses in 2002, a decrease of
0.6 percent from the 2001 number. The rate for
larceny-theft was estimated as 2,445.8 per 100,000
inhabitants, a decrease of 1.6 percent from the
2001 rate.
·
Larceny-theft accounted for 59.4 percent of the
reported serious crime in 2002 and 67.5 percent
of the property crime.
·
The monetary loss due to larceny-theft offenses
in 2002 was estimated at $4.9 billion, with an
average value of $699 per offense.
Motor
Vehicle Theft
·
There were an estimated 1.2 million reported motor
vehicle thefts in 2002, which represented a 1.4-percent
increase in volume when compared to the 2001 number.
The rate for motor vehicle theft was estimated
at 432.1 per 100,000 inhabitants, a 0.4-percent
increase over last year's rate.
·
Automobiles were stolen at a rate of 337.5 cars
per 100,000 inhabitants. Trucks and buses (commercial
vehicles) were stolen at a rate of 85.2 per 100,000
in population, and other types of vehicles were
stolen at a rate of 35.9 per 100,000 in population.
·
The estimated value of all motor vehicles stolen
was $8.4 billion in 2002. The average value of
motor vehicles reported stolen was $6,701.
Hate
Crime
·
A total of 12,073 law enforcement agencies contributed
hate crime data to the UCR Program in 2002. Of
these agencies, 1,868 agencies (15.5 percent)
submitted 7,462 hate crime incident reports that
involved 8,832 separate offenses, 9,222 victims,
and 7,314 known offenders.
·
Of the total number of single-bias crime incidents
reported in 2002, 48.8 percent were motivated
by racial bias, 19.1 percent were driven by religious
bias, 16.7 percent were motivated by sexual-orientation
bias, 14.8 percent resulted from an ethnicity/national
origin bias, and 0.6 percent were motivated by
disability bias.
·
During 2002, a total of 5,960 (67.5 percent) of
reported hate crime offenses were crimes against
persons, and 2,823 (32.0 percent) were crimes
against property. Crimes against society comprised
0.6 percent of the reported offenses.
· Intimidation continued to be the most
frequently reported hate crime against individuals
and accounted for 52.1 percent of all crimes against
persons.
·
Destruction/damage/vandalism was the most frequently
reported hate crime against property and accounted
for 83.1 percent of the total hate crimes against
property.
Arson
·
During 2002, a total of 12,454 law enforcement
agencies reported 74,921 arson offenses to the
UCR Program.
·
For the 66,308 arson offenses for which law enforcement
supplied supplemental data, the average dollar
loss was $11,253.
·
By property type, the average dollar loss for
structural property destroyed by arson was $20,818,
the average dollar loss for mobile property was
$6,073, and the average dollar loss for other
property types was $2,536.
·
Law enforcement agencies collectively cleared
16.5 percent of arsons. Forty-three percent of
arsons cleared in the Nation in 2002 involved
juvenile offenders.
·
Nearly half (49.4 percent) of arrestees for arson
in 2002 were under the age of 18. Overall, 67.8
percent of arson arrestees were under age 25.
Males comprised 84.8 percent of persons arrested
for arson. Of the males arrested for arson, 51.7
percent were under the age of 18, and 37.0 percent
of the females arrested for arson were under the
age of 18.
Law
Enforcement Employees
·
In the Nation during 2002, a total of 13,981 city,
county, college and university, and state police
agencies employed 665,555 full-time officers and
291,947 civilians providing law enforcement services
for more than 271 million inhabitants.
·
On average, there were 3.5 full-time law enforcement
employees, including both officers and civilians,
for every 1,000 inhabitants in the United States
in 2002. There were 2.5 sworn officers for every
1,000 in population. Cities collectively reported
2.3 law enforcement officers per 1,000 inhabitants;
suburban counties reported an average of 2.7 law
enforcement officers, and rural counties had an
average of 2.5 law enforcement officers per 1,000
in population.
·
Nationally, males made up the majority of sworn
officers at 88.7 percent. Females comprised 62.1
percent of all civilian employees in 2002. Cities
with populations of
1 million inhabitants or more had the highest
percentage of sworn female officers at 17.5 percent.
Special Study—Bank Robbery in the
United States
Bank
robberies account for millions of dollars in losses
in the United States each year. In a special study
included in Crime in the United States, 2002,
the FBI examined information about bank robberies
from three of its criminal justice databases:
the UCR Program's Summary system, the UCR Program's
National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS),
and data from the Bank Robbery and Incidental
Crimes Statute (BCS). The study updates part of
a previous study, Crime Indicators System, Fourth
Semiannual Briefing on Crime, published by the
FBI in 1983.
·
An examination of the NIBRS data showed that in
the years 1996 through 2000, the average amount
of money taken in a bank robbery was less than
$5,000.
·
Additionally, during that same time period, only
20.0 percent of the money stolen in bank robberies
was recovered.
·
The 1996-2000 NIBRS data also revealed that violence
and injury occurred during 2.3 percent of bank
robberies.
Special
Report—Reported Sniper Attacks, 1982–2001
The
FBI examined data taken from the 1982-2001 Supplementary
Homicide Reports to compile a report, which is
also published in Crime in the United States,
2002, on the incidence of sniper attacks using
firearms as reported by law enforcement.
·
The report showed that in this 20-year period
there were 327 murder incidents that law enforcement
classified as sniper attacks with firearms and
379 victims of these attacks.
·
An examination of the weapons data revealed that
handguns were used in the commission of 63.6 percent
of these attacks; rifles in 22.9 percent; shotguns
in 7.0 percent; and other types of firearms, unknown
firearms, and firearms type not stated in 6.7
percent of these sniper murders.
·
The data also showed that the majority of the
victims and offenders of these sniper attacks
were between 25 and 49 years old, male, white,
and strangers to each other.
Crime
in the United States, 2002 is available on the
FBI's Internet site at <http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm>.