FBI Releases its 2006 Crime Statistics

September 24, 2007

Washington, D.C.—For the second consecutive year, the estimated number of violent crimes in the Nation increased, and for the fourth year in a row, the estimated number of property crimes decreased.

According to statistics released today by the FBI, the estimated volume of violent crime increased 1.9 percent, and the estimated volume of property crime decreased 1.9 percent in 2006 when compared with 2005 figures. The estimated rate of violent crime was 473.5 occurrences per 100,000 inhabitants (a 1.0-percent increase when the 2006 and 2005 rates were compared), and the estimated rate of property crime was 3,334.5 per 100,000 inhabitants (a 2.8-percent decline).

The FBI presented these data today in the 2006 edition of Crime in the United States, a statistical compilation of offense and arrest data as reported by law enforcement agencies throughout the Nation. The FBI collected these data via the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program.

The UCR Program gathers offense data for violent and property crimes. Violent crimes are the offenses of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault; property crimes are the offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. (Though the FBI classifies arson as a property crime, it does not estimate arson data because of variations in the level of participation at the agency level. Consequently, arson is not included in the estimated property crime total.) The Program also collects arrest data for violent and property crimes as well as 21 additional offenses that include all other offenses except traffic violations.

In 2006, more than 17,500 city, county, college and university, state, tribal, and federal agencies voluntarily participated in the UCR Program. These agencies represented 94.2 percent of the Nation's population. A summary of the crime statistics presented in Crime in the United States, 2006, follows:

Nationwide, there were an estimated 1,417,745 violent crimes reported in 2006.
Of the violent crimes, the estimated number of murders and nonnegligent manslaughters increased 1.8 percent, and the estimated number of robberies increased 7.2 percent in 2006 when compared with 2005 data. The estimated number of aggravated assaults decreased 0.2 percent, and the estimated number of forcible rapes declined 2.0 percent.
There were an estimated 9,983,568 property crimes, excluding arson, reported nationwide in 2006.
Of the property crimes, burglary was the only offense to show an increase (1.3 percent) in volume when 2006 data were compared with the 2005 data. The estimated number of larceny-thefts decreased 2.6 percent, and the estimated number of motor vehicle thefts declined 3.5 percent.
In 2006, excluding arson, victims of property crimes collectively lost an estimated $17.6 billion: thefts of motor vehicles resulted in losses of more than $7.9 billion, larceny-thefts resulted in losses of $5.6 billion, and burglaries, $4.0 billion.
Slightly more than 44 percent (44.3) of violent crimes and 15.8 percent of property crimes were cleared by arrest or exceptional means by the Nation's law enforcement agencies in 2006.
A total of 13,943 law enforcement agencies reported 69,055 arson offenses to the UCR Program in 2006.
The number of arsons reported in 2006 increased 2.1 percent when compared with the number of arsons reported in 2005.
The average dollar loss for arson offenses was $13,325 per incident.
The FBI estimated that law enforcement agencies nationwide made 14,380,370 arrests in 2006, excluding those for traffic offenses.
Law enforcement agencies made 4,832.5 arrests for each 100,000 in population nationwide for the 29 offenses for which the UCR Program collects arrest data.
The arrest rate for violent crime was 207.0 arrests per 100,000 inhabitants; for property crime, the rate was 524.5.
The rate of arrests for murder and nonnegligent manslaughter in 2006 was 4.5 per 100,000 in population. The rate of arrests for forcible rape was 8.2; for robbery, 43.2; and for aggravated assault, 151.1.
Of the property crimes, law enforcement made 102.5 arrests for burglary for each 100,000 in population, 370.0 for larceny-theft, 46.5 for motor vehicle theft, and 5.5 for arson.

In addition to offense and arrest data, Crime in the United States, 2006, contains information regarding the staffing levels of more than 14,000 college and university, city, county, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies as of October 31, 2006. These agencies reported that, collectively, they employed 683,396 sworn officers and 303,729 civilians, which was a rate of 3.5 employees for each 1,000 inhabitants.

Note: Caution Against Ranking—Each year when Crime in the United States is published, some entities use reported figures to compile rankings of cities and counties. These rough rankings provide no insight into the numerous variables that mold crime in a particular town, city, county, state, or region. Consequently, they lead to simplistic and/or incomplete analyses that often create misleading perceptions adversely affecting communities and their residents. Valid assessments are possible only with careful study and analysis of the range of unique conditions affecting each local law enforcement jurisdiction. The data user is, therefore, cautioned against comparing statistical data of individual reporting units from cities, metropolitan areas, states, or colleges or universities solely on the basis of their population coverage or student enrollment.