This report examines 7-year trends and year-to-date change in National Crime Survey data on crimes of rape, robbery, assault, and larceny against persons and household burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft.
Two of the crimes measured by the National Crime Survey, assault and household larceny, displayed rising victimization rates over the 7 years that data have been collected. Victimization rates for assault were about 9 percent higher in 1979 than in 1973, with the increase concentrated in the less serious form of the crime, simple assault. Household larceny rose about 25 percent over this period, with most of the change occurring between 1973 and 1974 and from 1978 to 1979. In contrast, rates for household burglary were about 8 percent lower at the end of the period than they were at the beginning. In addition to examining overall crime trends, this report presents data on some of the variables associated with the decline in burglary, such as family income level, size of household, and general locality of residence. Supporting the text are 16 figures and 29 tables. A glossary and information on the sample and the reliability of estimates are included. (Author abstract)