No complex problem can be solved without careful study, and the problem of crime requires accurate statistics in order for it to be measured, analyzed, and ultimately decreased in meaningful ways.
For over seven decades, the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program has provided data to all who are concerned about crime and its consequences to our Nation's citizens.
UCR data has often been a key factor in the allocation of law enforcement resources dedicated to combat crime. Although the police chief, sheriff, city administrator, or other leader may not ask specifically for UCR statistics, they often ask, "How many?," "Where is this occurring?," or "What kinds of weapons are being used?" These are the kinds of questions the FBI's UCR data answer not only for law enforcement but also for many government entities, interest groups, community developers, researchers, the media, and private citizens.
Since 1930, the FBI's UCR Program has been the primary source for providing a picture of crime in the United States. Today, the FBI's UCR staff continues to provide these statistics in efficient and more up-to-date media so that those who study crime—whether extensively or casually—can have at their disposal the most comprehensive information available to better understand this complex subject. In its second year as a Web-only publication, this edition of Crime in the United States provides navigable files and downloadable information that make it easier to access specific information.
FBI employees who distribute UCR data are privileged to speak with many members of law enforcement and other entities that use these statistics to try to understand the scope of crime in the Nation, in their states, and in their communities. The FBI is proud to support those who labor to protect the Nation's citizens by offering a picture that experts can study in order to understand the nature of crime, as a result, produce solutions or improve current methods of combating it successfully.
Robert S. Mueller, III
Director