BJS: Bureau of Justice Statistics

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The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) obtains information from a household sample about victim’s experiences and characteristics of the crime incidents. The survey measures the violent crimes of rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated and simple assault as well as personal theft (purse snatching and pocket picking). It includes the property crimes of household burglary, motor vehicle theft and property theft. Crimes that occur in commercial places such as stores, banks, office buildings, parking garages and other locations are measured only if the victim(s) or household members in the survey experienced crimes at those locations.

Summary findings

    Between 2004 and 2008 --
  • About 1 in 3 violent crimes occurred in or near the victim’s own home.
  • During this time period almost 1 in 5 violent crimes took place in open areas such as yards, playgrounds, fields, on the street or in other similar locations.
  • Almost two thirds of all property crimes took place in or near the home of the household members.
  • More than 1 in 10 property crimes occurred in parking lots or garages.
  • Purse snatchings and pocket pickings typically occur away from home. The most common places of occurrence were in commercial places such as restaurants, bars and other commercial buildings (39.1%) and open areas such as the street or on public transportation (28.2%). About 10% of personal thefts occurred in or near the victim’s home or the home of a friend or neighbor. 

School crime

    In 2007 --
  • Students ages 12 to 18 were victims of about 1.5 million non-fatal crimes when they were at school compared to about 1.1 million non-fatal crimes while they were away from school.
  • About a third (32%) of public and private school students ages 12-18 reported that they have been bullied at school within the past six months.
  • Among high school students in grades 9-12, about 12% said they got into a fight on school property.
  • Ten percent of male students and 5% of female students reported experiencing a threat or injury with a weapon on school property.
  • The percentage of students ages 12 to 18 victimized by violence and theft at school decreased between 1995 and 2005, and remained unchanged between 2005 and 2007. In 1995 about 10 percent of students were victims of violence or theft, compared to 4 percent in 2005 and 2007.

Workplace violence

    Between 1993 and 1999--
  • Of selected occupations examined, police officers were the most vulnerable to be victims of workplace violence, as well as correctional officers, taxicab drivers, private security workers, and bartenders.
  • While working or on duty, U.S. residents experienced 1.7 million violent victimizations annually including 1.3 million simple assaults, 325,000 aggravated assaults, 36,500 rapes and sexual assaults, 70,000 robberies, and 900 homicides.
  • Workplace violence accounted for 18% of all violent crime.
  • Police officers were victims of a nonfatal violent crime while they were working or on duty at a rate of 261 per 1,000 officers.

 

Detailed place of occurrence for violent and property crimes, average annual 2004-2008

  Average annual 2004-2008
Violent victimizationsa   Property victimizationsb
Number Percent Number Percent
Total 5,507,130 100.0 %   18,004,640 100.0 %
                 
Total in own home or lodging 990,900 18.0     4,801,740 26.7  
   In own dwelling, own attached garage,
or enclosed porch		 969,010 17.6     4,076,310 22.6  
  In detached building on own property 8,910 0.2     599,590 3.3  
  In vacation home/second home 5,140 0.1 *   79,930 0.4  
  Hotel or motel room 7,840 0.1     45,910 0.3  
                 
Total near own home 866,230 15.7 %   6,716,440 37.3 %
  Own yard, sidewalk, driveway, carport 550,890 10.0     5,486,250 30.5  
  Apartment hall, storage area, laundry room 52,540 1.0     176,150 1.0  
  On street immediately adjacent to own home 262,790 4.8     1,054,040 5.9  
                 
Total at or near friend's, neighbor's or relative's home 504,010 9.2 %   652,640 3.6 %
  At or in friends/relatives/neighbor's home 262,330 4.8     277,630 1.5  
  Friend/relatives/neighbors yard, sidewalk, driveway 158,780 2.9     239,400 1.3  
  Friends/relatives/neighbor's apartment hall, storage area,
laundry room		 13,960 0.3     6,980 0.0  
  On street adjacent to
friend's/relative's/neighbor's home		 68,940 1.3     128,630 0.7  
                 
Total in commercial placesc 664,700 12.1 %   933,270 5.2 %
  Commercial restaurant, bar, nightclub 244,000 4.4     209,350 1.2  
  Inside office 74,900 1.4       157,720 0.9  
  Bank 9,100 0.2     10,820 0.1  
  Gas station 63,530 1.2     58,860 0.3  
  Other commercial building 230,210 4.2     438,840 2.4  
  Factory/warehouse 42,960 0.8     57,680 0.3  
                 
Total in parking lots or garagesc 401,920 7.3 %   2,018,180 11.2 %
  Commercial parking lot/garage 110,620 2.0     413,050 2.3  
  Noncommercial parking lot/garage 213,540 3.9     864,190 4.8  
  Apartment/townhouse parking lot/garage     77,760 1.4     740,950 4.1  
                 
Total in school or on school property 714,860 13.0 %   1,272,570 7.1 %
  Inside school building 464,540 8.4     1,004,890 5.6  
  On school property 250,320 4.5     267,670 1.5  
                 
Total in open areas, on street or public transportation 967,800 17.6 %   748,150 4.2 %
  In apartment yard, park, field, playground 130,270 2.4     158,360 0.9  
  On street other than near own or friend/neighbor/
relative's house		 787,640 14.3     457,590 2.5  
  On public transportation or in station 49,910 0.9     132,190 0.7  
                 
Other  396,700 7.2 %   861,660 4.8 %
*Based on 10 or fewer cases.
aViolent crimes exclude murder and include rape, sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated or simple assault.
bProperty crimes include household burglary, motor vehicle theft, and property theft.
cAll victimizations occurred at these locations to persons or members of households that were interviewed. Crimes which occurred to commercial or business facilities are not measured.

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