AimAim: How much crime is : How much crime is there in the United States?there in the United States?

Dark Figure of CrimeDark Figure of Crime: A metaphor for : A metaphor for crime that is crime that is NEVERNEVER reported to the police. reported to the police.

Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)Uniform Crime Reports (UCR): An : An annually published statistical summary of annually published statistical summary of crimes reported to the police, based on crimes reported to the police, based on voluntary reports to the FBI by local, state, voluntary reports to the FBI by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.and federal law enforcement agencies.

National Incident-Based Reporting National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)System (NIBRS): A reporting system in : A reporting system in which the police describe each offense in a which the police describe each offense in a crime incident, together with data crime incident, together with data describing the offender, victim, and describing the offender, victim, and property.property.

The Uniform Crime Reports The Uniform Crime Reports only only gives statistics for crimes that are gives statistics for crimes that are actually reported to the police. actually reported to the police.

Surveys find that many criminal acts Surveys find that many criminal acts are not reported to the police are not reported to the police including:including:

57% of rapes 57% of rapes 50% of victims of robbery50% of victims of robbery54% of simple assault cases 54% of simple assault cases

The UCR reports on 8 index offenses The UCR reports on 8 index offenses which they deem most important;which they deem most important;

1.1. HomicideHomicide2.2. RapeRape3.3. Robbery Robbery 4.4. AssaultAssault5.5. BurglaryBurglary6.6. Larceny/theft Larceny/theft 7.7. Auto theftAuto theft8.8. Arson. Arson.

Let's look at the Federal Let's look at the Federal Bureau of Bureau of

Investigation's (FBI) Investigation's (FBI)

Uniform Crime ReportUniform Crime Report

WebsitesWebsites1.1. The FBI website for the Uniform Crime The FBI website for the Uniform Crime

Reports (UFC): Reports (UFC): http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm#cius

2.2. The US Department of Justice The US Department of Justice Homepage where you can find Homepage where you can find information on the National Incident information on the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) which Based Reporting System (NIBRS) which goes into much greater detail than the goes into much greater detail than the UFC: UFC:

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/welcome.htmlhttp://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/welcome.html