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Latest Crime Statistics Released
Increase in
Violent Crime, Decrease in Property Crime
Today, the FBI released its annual compilation of crimes reported to
its Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program by law enforcement agencies
from around the nation. Crime in the United States, 2015 reveals a 3.9
percent increase in the estimated number of violent crimes and a 2.6
percent decrease in the estimated number of property crimes last year
when compared to 2014 data.
According to the report, there were an estimated 1,197,704 violent
crimes committed around the nation. While that was an increase from
2014 figures, the 2015 violent crime total was 0.7 percent lower than
the 2011 level and 16.5 percent below the 2006 level.
Among some of the other statistics contained in Crime in the United
States, 2015:
The estimated number of murders in the nation was 15,696.
During the year, there were an estimated 90,185 rapes. (This figure
currently reflects UCR’s legacy definition. Learn more about the
revised rape definition.)
There were an estimated 327,374 robberies nationwide, which accounted
for an estimated $390 million in losses (average dollar value of stolen
property per reported robbery was $1,190).
Firearms were used in 71.5 percent of the nation’s murders, 40.8
percent of robberies, and 24.2 percent of aggravated assaults.
Property crimes resulted in losses estimated at $14.3 billion. The
total value of reported stolen property (i.e., currency, jewelry, motor
vehicles, electronics, firearms) was $12,420,364,454.
In addition to national crime data, the publication also contains
agency-level data, regional data, state totals, data from cities and
counties grouped by populations, and statistics from certain
metropolitan areas.
Crime in the United States, 2015 also features several smaller reports:
Federal Crime Data, the second report from UCR looking at crime
reporting from federal agencies, includes 2015 data from FBI and ATF
cases as well as traditional offense information from other federal
agencies.
Human Trafficking, the third report from UCR’s Human Trafficking data
collection, includes general content about human trafficking as well as
data provided by agencies that reported human trafficking offenses in
2015.
Cargo Theft, the third report from UCR’s Cargo Theft data collection,
contains general information about cargo theft and data provided by
agencies that reported cargo theft violations during 2015.
Also included in Crime in the United States, 2015 is a message from
Director James Comey on FBI efforts to improve the collection,
analysis, and uses of crime statistics and data about law enforcement’s
use of force, primarily through its ongoing shift to the more detailed
National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and a use-of-force
database. Both, he said, will “give us a more complete, richer picture
of crime in our communities, and a national and detailed picture of the
ways we in law enforcement are using force.”
According to Comey, who cited the need for more transparency and
accountability in law enforcement, “Information that is accurate,
reliable, complete, and timely will help all of us learn where we have
problems and how to get better.”
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