National Crime Victimization Survey 2003 [DOJ] News
National Crime Victimization Survey 2003 [DOJ]

US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, September 12, 2004. Read the report here [PDF]. Excerpt:

In 2003 U.S. residents age 12 or older experienced an estimated 24.2 million violent and property victimizations, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). (See Survey methodology, page 11.) These criminal victimizations included an estimated 18.6 million property crimes (burglary, motor vehicle theft, and theft), 5.4 million violent crimes (rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault), and 185,000 personal thefts (pocket picking and purse snatching).

Except for rape/sexual assault, which showed a marginal decline, 2003 victimization rates for every major type of crime measured were unchanged from their 2002 levels. However, for every major category of crime except rape/sexual assault, burglary, and
motor vehicle theft, aggregated rates for the period 2002-03 were lower than those for 2001-02.

Taken together, the 1-year (2002-03) and 2-year average (2000-01 to 2002-03) change estimates indicate that crime rates have stabilized. The rates are the lowest experienced in the last 30 years.

Reported on JURIST's Paper Chase here.

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