Criminal Victimization in the United States, 1993

146 Pages·1996·0.71 MB·English

U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Estimates from the Redesigned Survey
Criminal Victimization
in the United States, 1993
Victim-offender relationship in violent crimes
(rape/sexual assault, robbery, and assault) by sex of victim
Violent crime victimization rates for persons age 12 and over,
by age and sex of victim
(Number of victimizations per 1,000 persons)
150
Male
120
Female
90
Male
60
Female
Male
Female
30
Male
Female
0
12-24 25-34 35-49 50 or older
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Criminal Victimization
in the United States,
1993
A National Crime Victimization Survey Report
By Craig A. Perkins,
Patsy A. Klaus,
Lisa D. Bastian,
and Robyn L. Cohen
Statisticians, Bureau of Justice Statistics
May 1996, NCJ-151657
U.S. Department of Justice
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Jan M. Chaiken, Ph.D.
Director
sortium, the Committee on Law and Justice of the Ameri-
This report was prepared by Craig A. Perkins, Patsy A.
can Statistical Association, and the community of individ-
Klaus, Lisa D. Bastian, and Robyn L. Cohen of the
ual researchers, advisers, and staff whose committment
Bureau of Justice Statistics, under the supervision of
to the project made the redesigned NCVS possible.
Michael R. Rand. Bruce M. Taylor provided statistical
review. Christopher Laskey, of the Bureau of the The hard work and persistent efforts of the Bureau of
Census, produced the tables in this report. Thomas the Census field representatives, the employees at the
Hester and Tina Dorsey edited this volume. Marilyn U.S. Bureau of the Census telephone centers, and
Marbrook supervised production. regional offices helped achieve consistently high levels
of participation in the survey.
National Crime Victimization Survey data collection
and processing activities are conducted by the Bureau of The participation of the American people who took
the Census. Marilyn Monahan, Patricia Bowles, the time to respond to the survey questionnaire were
Edwina Jaramillo, Christopher Laskey, Karen Monroe, integral to the success of this important research.
and Patricia Clark of Crime Surveys Branch oversaw the
Data presented in this report may be obtained from
work at the Census Bureau. Programming assistance in
the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data at the
the Demographic Surveys Division was provided by Chris
University of Michigan, 1-800-999-0960. The name
Alaura, Ruth Breads, Mildred Strange, David Pysh, and
of the dataset is Criminal Victimization in the United
David Watt, under the supervision of Stephen Phillips.
States, 1993 (ICPSR 6406).
Guidance on technical matters related to this program
This report and other reports and data are available from
was provided by Marjorie Dauphin and Carol Persely,
the BJS Internet page: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
Statistical Methods Division, Bureau of the Census,
under the supervision of David Hubble. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
The data presented in this report are the culmination of United States. Bureau of Justice Statistics.
(cid:190) (cid:190)
an effort extending back twenty years to improve Criminal Victimization in the United Statistics.
the quality and accuracy of crime victimization data. We
(A National Crime Victimization Survey report:
want to acknowledge here the invaluable contributions of
NCJ-151657)
the Committee on National Statistics of the National (cid:190)
1. Victims of crime United States.
Academy of Sciences, the Crime Survey Redesign Con- (cid:190)
2. Crime and criminals United States.
I. Title II. Series
ii Criminal Victimization in the United States, 1993
Contents
Subjects and table numbers, iv Chapter V (cid:190)(cid:190) The crime event, 63
Time of occurrence, 64
Highlights, v
Place of occurrence, 64
National Crime Victimization Survey, vii Victim activity, 64
Use of weapons, 64
Chapter I (cid:190)(cid:190) Introduction, 1
Victim self-protection, 64
NCVS-measured crimes, 2
Physical injury, 65
Crimes not measured by the NCVS, 2
Economic loss, 65
Survey redesign, 2
Time lost from work, 65
Major redesign changes, 2
Selection of survey participants, 3 Chapter VI (cid:190)(cid:190) Victims and the criminal
The NCVS questionnaire, 3 justice system, 91
Uses of NCVS data, 3 Rates of reporting, 92
Reasons for reporting and not reporting, 92
Chapter II (cid:190)(cid:190) Demography of victims, 5
Police response and police activity, 93
Characteristics of personal crime victims, 6
Victimization levels and rates, 6 Appendixes, 113
Sex, race, age and ethnicity, 6
I. Survey instrument, 114
Marital status, 6
II. National Crime Victimization Survey redesign, 149
Income, 7
III. Comparison between 1992 and 1993
Characteristics of property crime victims, 7
data tables, 157
Victimization levels and rates, 7
IV. Survey methodology, 158
Race, ethnicity, and age, 7
Data collection, 158
Annual household income, 7
Sample design and size, 158
Household size, 8
Estimation procedure, 159
Chapter III (cid:190)(cid:190) Victims and offenders, 29 Series victimizations, 161
Victim-offender relationship, 30 Accuracy of estimates, 161
Characteristics of offenders, 30 Computation and application
Drug and alcohol use by offenders, 30 of standard errors, 163
Family violence, 30 V. Chronology, 166
Number of victims in violent crimes, 31 VI. Glossary, 172
Number of offenders in violent crimes, 31

Characteristics of offenders in
single-offender victimizations, 31
Characteristics of offenders in
multiple-offender victimizations, 31
Chapter IV (cid:190)(cid:190) Geography, 51
Number of years at current residence, 52
Locality of residence, 52
Region, 52
Criminal Victimization in the United States, 1993 iii
Subjects and table numbers
To find tables with data on a subject Crime characteristics Rape/Sexual assault, 1, 1*-9*,
that interests you, locate the sub- Time of occurrence, 59, 60 11*-15*, 26, 27, 28*, 29-32, 33, 34,
ject in the list and go to the table Place of occurrence, 61-63, 36-40, 42-46, 49, 50*, 52*, 54*, 57*,
indicated. Victim's activity at time of incident, 64 59, 61, 63-64, 65, 66, 67, 68-73, 76,
Distance from home, 65 81, 82, 87-89, 91, 93-96, 101-103,
General crime statistics
Number of victims, 36 104, 106, 109, I
Number of victimizations, 1
Number of offenders, 37 Robbery, 1, 1*-9*, 11*-15*, 26, 27,
Victimization rates,1*
Weapon use, 60, 62, 66 28*, 29-32, 33, 34, 36-49, 50*, 52*,
Ratio of victimizations to
Self-protection, 67, 68-74 54*, 57*, 59-64, 65, 66, 67, 68-77,
incidents, 26
Physical force used, 67 79-81, 82, 83, 84, 85-86, 87-89, 91,
Series victimizations, Appendix
Physical injury, 75, 78-81, 83, 85-88 93-96, 101-103, 104, 106, 107, 108,
table 2
Medical expenses, 77 109, I
Victim characteristics Medical insurance coverage, 78 Assault, 1, 1*-9*, 11*-15*, 26, 27, 28*,
Sex, 2*, 4*, 6*, 8*, 10*, 12*, 13*, Medical care, 76, 79, 80 29-32, 33, 34, 35*, 36, 37, 38-49, 50*,
29-31, 35*, 54*, 69, 71, 75, 79, 80, Agency assistance, 109 52*, 54*, 57*, 59-64, 65, 66, 67,
92, 93 Value of theft loss, 83, 85, 100 68-77, 79-81, 82, 83, 87-89, 91,
Age, 3*, 4*, 9*, 10*, 29, 35*, 41, 47, Economic loss (includes property 93-96, 101-103, 104, 106, 107, 108,
69, 75, 79, 96 damage), 81, 83 109, I
Race, 5*, 6*, 9*, 10*, 15*, 30, 35*, 42, Property loss, 84 Purse snatching/Pocket picking, 1,
48, 54*, 69, 71, 75, 77-80, 83, 85, 86, Property recovery, 86 1*-9*, 11*-15*, 26, 50*, 52*, 57*, 59,
88, 90, 92, 94, 103 Days lost from work, 87-90 61, 64, 65, 81, 82, 83, 86, 87, 88, 89,
Ethnicity, 7*, 8*, 92, 95 Total economic loss to victims, 82 91, 93-96, 101-103, 106, 107, 108,
Marital status, 11*, 12*, 31, 35* 109, I
Offender characteristics
Relationship to household head, 13* Property crimes, 1, 1*, 16*, 17*, 19*,
Victim-offender relationship, 27, 28,
Annual household income, 14*, 15*, 20*, 24*, 25*, 51*, 53*, 55*, 56*, 58*,
29-31, 33, 34, 35*, 37, 43, 49, 63, 66,
75, 78, 35* 59, 64, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85-88, 89, 90,
68, 75, 77, 79, 80, 93-95, 104
Number of years lived at current 91, 97, 98-102, 105-107, 109, I
Age of single offender, 39, 41
residence, 50* Household burglary, 1, 1*, 16*, 17*,
Race of single offender, 40, 42
Locality of residence, 52*, 54* 19*-21*, 24*, 25*, 51*, 53*, 55*, 56*,
Sex of single offender, 38
Region, 57* 58*, 59, 64, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85-88, 89,
Age of multiple offenders, 45, 47
90, 91, 97, 98-102, 105, 106-107,
Household characteristics Race of multiple offenders, 46, 48
109, I
Race of head, 16*, 18*, 21*-23*, 55*, Sex of multiple offenders, 44
Motor vehicle theft, 1, 1*, 16*-20*,
56*, 97, 98, 105 Drug and alcohol use by offenders, 32
23*-24*, 25*, 51*, 53*, 55*, 56*, 58*,
Ethnicity of head, 17*, 97
Reporting to police 59, 61, 64, 65, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85-88,
Age of head, 18*, 19*
Whether reported, 91-96, 98-100 89, 90, 91, 97, 98-102, 105, 106-107,
Sex of head, 13*
Reasons for reporting, 101 109, I
Household income, 20*-23*, 99
Reasons for not reporting, 102-105 Theft, 1, 1*, 16*, 17*, 19*, 20*, 22*,
Number of persons in household, 24*
Police response, 106, 107, 108 24*, 25*, 51*, 53*, 55*, 56*, 58*, 59,
Tenure, 18*, 56*, 97, 98
61, 64, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85-88, 89, 90,
Number of units in structure, 25* Type of crime
91, 97, 98-102, 105, 106-107, 109, I
Number of years lived at current Crimes of violence, 1, 1*-15*, 26, 27,
residence, 51* 28*, 29-32, 33, 34, 35*, 36-49, 50*,
Locality of residence, 53*, 55* 52*, 54*, 57*, 59, 61, 63-66, 67, Note: Subject citations refer to table numbers,
not page numbers.
Region, 58* 68-74, 76-81, 82, 83, 84, 87-96,
*Victimization rate table - all others are counts
101-104, 106, 107, 109, I or percents.
iv Criminal Victimization in the United States, 1993
Highlights
Overall victimization Victims sustained a rape or some 12% of all rapes and 17% of sexual
other non-rape injury in over 2.6 mil- assaults measured by the victimiza-
Overall during 1993 there were
lion incidents; about 29% of all rob- tion survey.
almost 11 million violent victimizations
beries involved injury.
and over 32 million property crimes. In general, persons from house-
Expressed as the number of crimes Sex, race, and age of victim holds with low incomes experienced
per 1,000, there were 51 violent vic- higher violent crime victimization
One in sixteen males and 1 in 24 fe-
timizations per 1,000 persons and rates than persons from wealthier
males were a victim of violent crime.
322 property crimes per 1,000 households. Persons living in house-
households. One in fifteen blacks and 1 in 20 holds with yearly incomes under
whites were a victim of violent crime. $7,500 were more than twice as likely
In terms of crime rates per 1,000
to fall victim to violence as persons in
persons age 12 or older, there were Hispanics and non-Hispanics
households with incomes of $75,000
2 rapes or sexual assaults (including had similar rates for rape/sexual
or more.
attempts), 6 robberies, 12 aggravated assault, simple assault, and personal
assaults, and 31 simple assaults. theft. However, Hispanics sustained Victims and offenders
Murder is not measured in the survey significantly higher rates for robbery
Robbery and aggravated assault
because of the inability to question and aggravated assault. Hispanics
were more likely to be committed by
the victims. had a robbery rate twice that of
strangers to the victim than non-
non-Hispanics.
There were 322 property crimes per strangers. Rape/sexual assault and
1,000 households. These included 60 The youngest age group surveyed simple assault were more likely to
burglaries per 1,000 households, 20 (cid:190) those age 12 through 15 (cid:190) had be committed by nonstrangers than
motor vehicle thefts, and 243 property the greatest risk of being violent crime strangers.
thefts. victims. The risk decreased steadily
About 1 million violent crimes com-
with age, from 1 in 8 persons age
Seventy percent of the violent vic- mitted during 1993 were against vic-
12-15 to 1 in 179 for those 65 or
timizations were attempted but un- tims related to the offender. In more
older.
completed criminal incidents, such than 500,000 incidents the
as attempted robberies or threats in- Persons age 12 to 15, who ac- offender was the victim's spouse or
volving weapons. counted for about 7% of the popula- former spouse. Of these, 9% were
tion their age and older, experienced rapes or other sexual assaults;
5%, robberies; 15%, aggravated as-
Property crimes account for three-quarters of saults; and 71%, simple assaults.
all crimes experienced by individuals
or households Most robberies and aggravated assaults were
committed by strangers to the victim
Rape/Sexual
Robbery
assault
(1%) ( 3%) Stranger Nonstranger
Rape/sexual
Assault
assault
(21%)
Robbery
Pocket picking
Theft
(1%) Aggravated
(56%)
assault
Burglary
(14%)
Simple
assault
Motor vehicle
theft (4%)
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
figure 2
figure 1
Criminal Victimization in the United States, 1993 v
Females were victimized by The crime event cent of the almost 2 million completed
relatives at 4 times the rate of males or attempted motor vehicle thefts
Violent incidents occurring at night
(8 violent victimizations per 1,000 were reported to law enforcement
most frequently were committed be-
females versus 2 per 1,000 males). agencies.
tween 6 p.m. and midnight.
Geography The most common reason given for
Property crimes were more likely
not reporting violent victimizations to
City residents were robbed at more to have occurred between 6 p.m. and
the police was that the crime was a
than 3 times the rural residents' rate. 6 a.m.
private or personal matter (21%). The
Households in U.S. cities were vic- Twenty-seven percent of all violent next most common reason cited was
timized by motor vehicle theft at al- incidents occurred in or near the vic- that the offender was unsuccessful in
most five times the rate experienced tim's home. Including those, about committing the crime (18%).
by rural households. half took place within 5 miles of the
For property crimes the most com-
victim's home. Only 4% took place
In each region (cid:190) Northeast, mon reason for not reporting to the
(cid:190) more than 50 miles from home.
Midwest, South, and the West police was that stolen property had
households in urban areas had the Twenty-nine percent of all violent been recovered (29%). The next
highest victimization rates for property crime victims believed the offender or most common reason given for failing
crimes in general, followed by house- offenders were under the influence of to report a property crime was that
holds in suburban areas. Households drugs or alcohol at the time of the there was a lack of proof relating to
(cid:190)
in rural areas had the lowest rates of offense 20%, under the influence the crime (11%).
property crimes. of alcohol only; 4%, drugs alone; and
Whether victimized by a violent or
4%, both drugs and alcohol.
The western region had the highest a property crime, victims rarely re-
victimization rates for both violent and About 42% of the violent crimes ceived assistance from either govern-
property crimes overall. and 33% of the property crimes were mental or private agencies.
reported to police. Seventy-eight per-
Urban residents are the most vulnerable to crime
Violent crimes per 1,000 persons age 12 and over Property crimes per 1,000 households
Rape/Sexual Urban Urban
assault
Rape/sexual assaultSuburban Burglary Suburban
Burglary
Rural Rural
Robbery Motor
Robbery Motor vehviechleic tlheeft
theft
Assault
Assault TThheeftft
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 0 30 60 90 120150180 210 240270 300
figure 3
vi Criminal Victimization in the United States, 1993
National Crime Victimization Survey
This report presents information on Appendix II provides a comparison
criminal victimization in the United of certain items on the questionnaire
States during 1993. This edition, the that have changed as a result of the
21st in a series of annual reports, redesign. Improvements and other
is the first that presents data from fundamental changes introduced by
the redesigned National Crime the redesign make comparisons to
Victimization Survey (NCVS). earlier data inappropriate.
For the past 20 years data have been Appendix III contains a crosswalk
presented in a series of annual re- chart so that tables which readers
ports prepared under the National may have referenced in previous
Crime Survey (NCS). The survey editions can be easily found in this
name was changed to the National report. However, readers should
Crime Victimization Survey in con- be cautioned that the data from the
junction with changes introduced as redesigned survey are not directly
a result of the survey redesign. The comparable with data published in
Bureau of the Census has adminis- previous years.
tered the National Crime Victimization
Survey for the Bureau of Justice Sta-
tistics (formerly the National Criminal
Justice Information and Statistics
Service of the Law Enforcement
Assistance Administration) since the
program began in 1972.
All of the data presented in this report
were derived from a continuing survey
of the occupants of a representative
sample of housing units in the United
States. About 100,000 persons age
12 or older living in 50,000 housing
units were interviewed. Ninety-six
percent of the households selected
to participate did so; 93% of persons
in these selected households were
interviewed.
The redesign of the survey was a
decade-long effort to improve its
ability to measure victimization, par-
ticularly certain difficult-to-measure
crimes like rape and sexual assault.
As a reflection of this survey redesign
the format of the criminal victimization
report series has changed as well.
Criminal Victimization in the United States, 1993 vii

Chapter I
Introduction
NCVS-measured crimes 2
Crimes not measured
by the NCVS 2
Survey redesign 2
Major redesign changes 2
Selection of survey participants 3
The NCVS questionnaire 3
Uses of NCVS data 3
Criminal Victimization in the United States, 1993 1