WASHINGTON – The estimated volume of violent crime in the Nation increased 2.3 percent, but the estimated volume of property crime decreased 1.5 percent in 2005 when compared with 2004 data, according to FBI statistics released Sept. 18.

From 2004 to 2005, the rate of violent crime, estimated at 469.2 violent offenses per 100,000 inhabitants, increased 1.3 percent, but the rate of property crime, estimated at 3,429.8 property offenses per 100,000 inhabitants, decreased 2.4 percent.

The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program presented these data in the 2005 edition of Crime in the United States, a statistical compilation of offense and arrest data reported by law enforcement agencies nationwide. In 2005, more than 17,000 city, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies, representing 94 percent of the Nation’s population, voluntarily participated in the Program.

The UCR Program collects information on crimes reported by law enforcement agencies regarding the violent crimes of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault as well as the property crimes of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.  The Program also gathers arrest data for 29 offenses.

Statistics provided in Crime in the United States, 2005, include:

• Nationwide in 2005, there were an estimated 1,390,695 violent crimes reported.
• The offense of forcible rape was the only violent crime to show a decrease (1.2 percent) in estimated volume when compared with 2004 data.
• The estimated volume of robbery increased 3.9 percent, murder and nonnegligent manslaughter increased 3.4 percent, and aggravated assault increased 1.8 percent from 2004 figures.
• Nationwide in 2005, an estimated 10,166,159 property crimes were reported.
• Burglary was the only property crime to show an increase (0.5 percent) in the estimated volume when compared with 2004 data.
• The estimated number of larceny-theft declined 2.3 percent, and the estimated number of motor vehicle thefts decreased 0.2 percent.
• Collectively, victims of property crimes (excluding arson) lost an estimated $16.5 billion:  $7.6 billion in motor vehicle thefts, $5.2 billion as a result of larceny-thefts, and $3.7 billion in burglaries.
• Nationwide in 2005, law enforcement agencies cleared 45.5 percent of violent crimes and 16.3 percent of property crimes.
• The FBI estimated that, in 2005, law enforcement agencies nationwide made about 14.1 million arrests.
• Collectively, law enforcement agencies made 4,761.6 arrests for each 100,000 in population for the 29 offenses for which the UCR Program collects arrest data.
• The arrest rate for violent crimes in 2005 was 204.8 arrests per 100,000 inhabitants; the arrest rate for property crimes was 549.1 arrests per 100,000 inhabitants.
• By violent crime offense, the arrest rate for murder was 4.7; forcible rape, 8.6; robbery, 39.2; and aggravated assault, 152.2 per 100,000 in population.
• By property crime offense, the arrest rate for burglary was 101.2; larceny-theft, 392.6; and motor vehicle theft, 49.7 per 100,000 in population.  The arrest rate for arson was 5.5 per 100,000 inhabitants.
• In 2005, more than 14,000 city, county, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies reported their staffing levels as of October 31, 2005, to the UCR Program. These agencies reported that, collectively, they employed 673,146 sworn officers and 295,924 civilians; a rate of 3.5 employees for each 1,000 inhabitants.

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FBI Release

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