Link to the Department of Justice Links to the Office of Justice Programs

BJS home page


Crime & Justice Electronic Data Abstracts


sample chart Key Crime & Justice Facts at a Glance


Small versions of the charts and brief statements of findings are presented here
with links to full size charts, additional information about the charts and findings,
and the data that support the chart. A complete list of the trend tables that support these charts is available.

Full size versions of selected trend charts suitable for overheads or handouts also are available.

Get the latest Federal Government social statistics from other agencies from the
Social Statistics Briefing Room at the White House Web site.


Crime trends

See also Crime and Victims
  Serious violent crime

 

Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data

Serious violent crime levels declined since 1993.
More on:
homicide | rape | robbery | assault |
involvement of juveniles in violent crime

  Property crime rates

  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data

Property crime rates continue to decline.
More on:
burglary | theft | motor vehicle theft


  Gender of
violent crime victims


  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data


Violent crime rates declined for both males and females since 1994.

More on:
characteristics of crime victims

  Firearm-related crime

  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data

Firearm-related crime has plummeted since 1993, then slightly increased in 2005.
More on:
firearm-related crime



  Drug arrests

  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data


The estimated number of arrests for drug abuse violations for adults has been increasing, while the number for juveniles stabilized.
  Reporting to the police

  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data

The percentage of crimes reported to the police has been increasing.
More on:
crimes reported to the police by race and ethnicity




Top of the pageTo the top





Trends in Federal investigations and prosecutions

See also Federal justice statistics




  Outcomes of Federal court cases

  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data


The proportion of those convicted in Federal court who are sentenced to prison has been increasing.
  Federal court cases
by offense type


  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data


Of cases concluded in Federal district court since 1989, drug cases have increased at the greatest rate.

Top of the pageTo the top





Trends in Felony convictions in State courts

See also Criminal sentencing
  Convictions in State courts

  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data


The number of adults convicted of a felony in State courts has been increasing.
  Sentences in State courts

  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data


Over two thirds of the felons convicted in State courts were sentenced to prison or jail.

Top of the pageTo the top





Correctional trends

See also Corrections
  Correctional populations

  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data

The number of adults in the correctional population has been increasing.
More on:
gender and race of correctional populations
  Prison population by
conviction offense


  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data


Prisoners convicted of a violent offense make up over half of the prison population
  Incarceration rate

  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data

After sharp increases in the 1980s and 1990s, the incarceration rate has recently grown at a slower pace.
  Prisoners under
sentence of death


  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data


The number of prisoners under sentence of death decreased for the sixth consecutive year in 2006.
  Prisoners under
sentence of death by race


  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data


Since the death penalty was reinstated by the Supreme Court in 1976, more than half of those under sentence of death have been white.
  Executions

  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data

In 2007, 42 inmates were executed, 11 fewer than in 2006.
  Suicide and homicide rates

  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data

Suicide and homicide rates in State prisons and jails declined.

Top of the pageTo the top





Expenditure trends

 

See also Expenditure and employment


  Expenditure by
function


  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data

Direct expenditure for each of the major criminal justice functions (police, corrections, judicial) has been increasing.
  Expenditure by
level of government


  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data


Local governments spend more on criminal justice than State governments or the Federal government.


Top of the pageTo the top





Civil justice trends

 

See also Civil justice


  Tort cases filed
in 15 States


  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data


The number of tort cases filed in 15 States increased through 1996, than decreased but has stabilized recently.

  Tort cases concluded by trial in
U.S. district courts


  Thumbnail chart, link to full size chart and data

Since its peak in 1985, the number of tort trials terminated in U.S. district courts declined.
More on Federal civil justice trends
BJS home page | Top of this page




Bureau of Justice Statistics
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/

Send comments to askbjs@usdoj.gov

 


OJP Freedom of Information Act page

Legal Policies and Disclaimers
Page last revised on January 25, 2008