Offence categories · FBI crime statistics
Violent crime
Murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, as the FBI groups them.
In FBI reporting, violent crime is a summary category covering four offences: murder and non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. It is a count of offences known to law enforcement, not of victims and not of convictions.
The category is dominated by aggravated assault, which typically makes up roughly two-thirds of the total, so a movement in 'violent crime' is usually a movement in assault rather than in homicide. Reading a violent-crime trend as a homicide trend is a routine and material error. Note too that the rape definition changed in 2013; series spanning that year are not continuous.
Also known as: violent crime rate, part 1 violent.
See violent crime in the data
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Violent crime — FAQ
What is violent crime in crime statistics?+
Murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, as the FBI groups them. In FBI reporting, violent crime is a summary category covering four offences: murder and non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. It is a count of offences known to law enforcement, not of victims and not of convictions.
Why does violent crime matter?+
The category is dominated by aggravated assault, which typically makes up roughly two-thirds of the total, so a movement in 'violent crime' is usually a movement in assault rather than in homicide. Reading a violent-crime trend as a homicide trend is a routine and material error. Note too that the rape definition changed in 2013; series spanning that year are not continuous.
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.