Crime
Source and Methodological Information
List of Indicators
Victims of Violent Crimes per 1,000 Population
Victims of Violent Crimes and Homicides per 1,000 Population
Homicide Rate
Description
Number of murders and non-negligent manslaughters per 100,000 inhabitants.
Source
Figures for the whole population are from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime in the United States (Table 1. “Crime in the United States by Volume and Rate per 1,000 Inhabitants”). The FBI’s estimates are based on the Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Demographic breakdowns are from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Homicide Trends in the United States Series. The BJS’s primary data source is the Supplementary Homicide Reports.
Methodological Notes
Population counts are based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s provisional estimates as of July 1 for each year, except 1990 and 2000 which are decennial census counts.
The murder and non-negligent homicides that occurred as a result of the events of September 11, 2001, are not included in this table.
Victims of Violent Crimes per 1,000 Population
Description
Number of people who report being the victim of a violent crime, per 1,000 people age 12 and over.
Source
Bureau of Justice Statistics, Criminal Victimization series. The Bureau of Justice Statistics’ estimates are based on the National Crime Victimization Survey. Data through 2008 are from the Statistical Abstract of the United States, various years.
Methodological Notes
Violent crimes included are rape/sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault. This measure does not include murder. For a measure that does include murder, see the indicator Victims of Violent Crimes and Homicides per 1,000 Population.
More information about the National Crime Victimization Survey is available from the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Victims of Violent Crimes and Homicides per 1,000 Population
Description
Number of victims of violent crimes or homicides, per 1,000 people age 12 and over.
Source
Bureau of Justice Statistics. The Bureau of Justice Statistics’ estimates are based on the National Crime Victimization Survey and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reports (Supplemental Homicide Reports).
Methodological Notes
The National Crime Victimization Survey is the source for the number of victims of crimes other than murder. These crimes include rape/sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault. The Uniform Crime Reports (Supplemental Homicide Reports) is the source for the number of homicide victims.
Information about the National Crime Victimization Survey is available from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, while information about the Uniform Crime Reports is available from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Number of Prisoners
Description
Number of prisoners under federal or state jurisdiction sentenced to a maximum term of more than one year.
Source
Bureau of Justice Statistics, Prisoners series. The Bureau of Justice Statistics’ estimates are based on the National Prisoner Statistics. Demographic breakdowns are reported in the Statistical Abstract of the United States, various years.
Methodological Notes
Prisoner counts are reported as of December 31 of each year. Counts include all persons under legal authority of state or federal correctional officials, regardless of where the prisoner is held.
More information about the National Prisoner Statistics is available from the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Number of Adults on Probation
Description
Number of adults on probation at the end of the calendar year.
Source
Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Adults on Probation, Federal and State-by-State, 1977-2009." The Bureau of Justice Statistics’ estimates are based on the Annual Probation Survey.
Methodological Notes
The Annual Probation Survey collects population counts for January 1 and December 31 of each year. The value reported in the data is the count at the end of reference year. For the most recent year, this is the population count as of December 31 of the reference year. For all other years, it is the population count as of January 1 of the year following the reference year.
Number of Adults on Parole
Description
Number of adults on parole at the end of the calendar year.
Source
Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Adults on Parole, Federal and State-by-State, 1975-2009." The Bureau of Justice Statistics’ estimates are based on the Annual Parole Survey.
Methodological Notes
The Annual Parole Survey collects population counts for January 1 and December 31 of each year. The value reported in the data is the count at the end of reference year. For the most recent year, this is the population count as of December 31 of the reference year. For all other years, it is the population count as of January 1 of the year following the reference year.