Coverage & caveats · FBI crime statistics
Reported vs occurred
Every FBI figure counts crimes known to police — a subset of crimes committed, and a shifting one.
Police data can only count what is reported to or observed by police. Victimisation surveys consistently find that a large share of crime is never reported — the gap is widest for sexual assault and for property crimes with no insurance consequence, and narrowest for homicide and motor vehicle theft.
This matters for trends as much as for levels, because reporting propensity itself changes. Improved victim services, a new online reporting portal, or a collapse in public trust after a local scandal will each move recorded crime without any change in underlying crime. A rise in reported sexual assault, in particular, is at least as likely to reflect improved reporting as increased offending, and should never be presented as the latter without evidence.
Also known as: crimes known to police, dark figure of crime, underreporting.
See reported vs occurred in the data
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Reported vs occurred — FAQ
What is reported vs occurred in crime statistics?+
Every FBI figure counts crimes known to police — a subset of crimes committed, and a shifting one. Police data can only count what is reported to or observed by police. Victimisation surveys consistently find that a large share of crime is never reported — the gap is widest for sexual assault and for property crimes with no insurance consequence, and narrowest for homicide and motor vehicle theft.
Why does reported vs occurred matter?+
This matters for trends as much as for levels, because reporting propensity itself changes. Improved victim services, a new online reporting portal, or a collapse in public trust after a local scandal will each move recorded crime without any change in underlying crime. A rise in reported sexual assault, in particular, is at least as likely to reflect improved reporting as increased offending, and should never be presented as the latter without evidence.
Where does this crime statistics come from?+
Figures come from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — the quarterly national trend series, the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), and the annual Arrests and Arson collections. Coverage depends on which agencies reported in a given period. pumsdata is independent and not affiliated with the FBI.