US violent crime rises for second year in a row: FBI report News
US violent crime rises for second year in a row: FBI report

The FBI [official website] released estimated crime statistics [FBI annual report] for 2016 on Monday, which revealed [press release] a 4.1 percent increase in violent crimes committed when compared to 2015.

The report “is a statistical compilation of offense, arrest, and police employee data reported by law enforcement agencies voluntarily participating in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) [official website] Program.” The publication includes statistics for severe crimes including murder, rape, arson and robbery, among others.

Each crime report is broken down by location, agency, or the like, and contains several statistics reports. One data table for human sex trafficking statistics reveals Texas far surpassed any other state with 485 perpetrator arrests [data table]. Nationally, violent crime was estimated at “386.3 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants,” with 1,248,185 total, and property crime at “2,450.7 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants,” with 7,919,035 total.

The UCR Program was created over 30 years ago, yet not all states, cities, and counties participate. The FBI hopes the New UCR Program [materials] launched in February will increase agency participation in all 50 states for more accurate reporting.

THIS DAY @ LAW

US Supreme Court ruled Indians not US citizens

On November 3, 1884, the US Supreme Court ruled in Elk v. Wilkins that John Elk, an American Indian who had tried to vote in a federal election in Omaha, Nebraska, was not a US citizen entitled to the protection of the 14th and 15th Amendments of the US Constitution. Native Americans became eligible for citizenship in 1887 under the Dawes Act, but only in 1924, under the Indian Citizenship Act, were all Native Americans born in the US made citizens.

Last public execution at Tyburn Gallows in London

On November 3, 1783, the last public execution took place at Tyburn Gallows in London, when John Austin was hanged for highway robbery. From the hanging of William Fitz Osburn in 1196 until Austin's execution, Tyburn served as London's primary location for public executions.

Learn more about the trial of John Austin.