Criminal Victimization, 2016: Revised

FROM 2015 TO 2016 VIOLENT CRIME INCREASED AGAINST MALES AND PERSONS IN THEIR MID-20s TO MID-30s

WASHINGTON — Based on revised estimates from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), from 2015 to 2016, violent criminal victimizations increased against males and persons in their mid-20s to mid-30s. Among males, the rate of violent victimization increased from 15.9 per 1,000 males age 12 or older to 19.6 per 1,000. Among persons ages 25 to 34, violent victimizations increased from 21.8 to 28.4 per 1,000 persons.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics released a report today with revised estimates of criminal victimization from the 2016 NCVS. The revised official estimates replace previously released 2016 estimates that, due to a redesign of the NCVS sample, did not permit year-to-year comparisons.

Overall, from 2015 to 2016, the number of U.S. residents age 12 or older who reported they had experienced one or more violent criminal victimizations during the prior six months increased from 2.7 million to 2.9 million. However, there was no statistically significant change in the prevalence rate, which captures the percentage of persons affected. (The number of victims may have increased, in part, due to the 1 percent increase in population age 12 or older.)

By crime type, the rate of aggravated assault increased, while the rate of rape or sexual assault decreased. From 2015 to 2016, assaults (including aggravated and simple assault) increased from 14.8 to 16.9 victimizations per 1,000 persons age 12 or older. Aggravated assaults rose from 3.0 to 3.8 victimizations per 1,000. Rape or sexual assaults declined from 1.6 to 1.1 victimizations per 1,000. Intimate partner violence also declined from 3.0 to 2.2 per 1,000. There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of overall violent victimization (18.6 compared to 19.7 per 1,000 persons age 12 or older).

From 2015 to 2016, the overall rate of assault against males increased from 13.3 per 1,000 males age 12 or older to 17.2 per 1,000, while the rate of aggravated assault against males rose from 2.7 to 4.2 per 1,000.

Among households in the United States, the property crime rate increased from 2015 to 2016, rising from 110.7 to 118.6 victimizations per 1,000 households. Based on the 2016 survey, households in the U.S. experienced an estimated 15.8 million property victimizations. The overall property crime rate includes household burglary, motor vehicle theft and other theft.

Fewer than half (44 percent) of violent victimizations were reported to police, which was not statistically different from 2015 (47 percent). There was also no statistically significant change in the percentage of serious violent victimizations (including rape or sexual assault, robbery and aggravated assault) reported to police from 2015 (55 percent) to 2016 (53 percent), nor in the percentage of property victimizations reported to police (35 percent in both years).

The report, Criminal Victimization, 2016: Revised (NCJ 252121), was written by BJS statisticians Rachel E. Morgan, Ph.D., and Grace Kena. The report, related documents and additional information about BJS’s statistical publications and programs can be found on the BJS website at www.bjs.gov.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics of the U.S. Department of Justice is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing and disseminating reliable statistics on crime and criminal justice in the United States. Jeffrey H. Anderson is the director.

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The Office of Justice Programs, headed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Matt M. Dummermuth, provides federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice and assist victims. OJP has six bureaus and offices: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking (SMART). More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.