Subject: Personal and Household Crime, 1991

 
                                
PERSONAL AND HOUSEHOLD CRIMES ROSE LESS THAN 2 PERCENT LAST YEAR
 
 
     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
said today that the estimated number of personal and household
crimes in the U.S. rose 1.9 percent last year, increasing from 34.4
million in 1990 to 35.1 million in 1991.
     BJS, a Department of Justice component in the Office of
Justice Programs, said the preliminary crime rate estimates are
from its National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which is an
on-going data collection program that uses U.S. Bureau of the
Census interviewers.  
     During 1991 approximately 95,000 people in about 48,000
nationally representative U.S. households were asked about crimes
they might have experienced during the preceding six months.  
     The data include both crimes reported to police and those that
go unreported.  Because the BJS survey includes unreported crime,
there may be differences in these data from what the Federal Bureau
of Investigation publishes in its Uniform Crime 
Reports, which are based on police reports.  About 37 percent of
all crimes and 49 percent of all violent crimes were reported to
law enforcement agencies last year.  An estimated 22 million
personal and household crimes were not reported to the police
during 1991.  The percentage of unreported crime last year was
almost identical to the percentage in 1990.
     "Last year's estimated increase brings the total number of 
victimizations during 1991 to a level that is still well below the
peak number of almost 41.5 million recorded in 1981," noted BJS
Director Steven D. Dillingham.  "In 1981 the survey estimated there
were about 6.6 million violent crimes--that is, about 35.3 violent
crimes for every 1,000 people 12 years old or older, compared to an
estimated 6.4 million such crimes, or 31.3 per 1,000 people last
year."
     BJS commented that statistically significant increases in the
preliminary estimates of rape and simple assault occurred last
year, but the rates per capita were only marginally higher than in
1990.
     The preliminary estimates of the rape rate rose to 1.0 per
1,000 in 1991.  This estimate, which was higher than the rate for
the preceding year, is similar to rates BJS reported in previous
years.  For example, in 1978, 1979 and 1981 the per capita rape 
rates were at or near the 1991 estimate.
     Last year's ratio of simple assaults per 1,000 U.S. 
inhabitants 12 years old and older was only marginally higher than
the 1990 rate.  The estimated 52.6 burglaries per 1,000 U.S.
households last year was at or near the lowest rate since the
survey began in 1973.  Between 1981 and 1991 burglary rates
declined 40 percent. During the same period robbery rates declined
24 percent--from 7.4 robberies per 1,000 people to 5.6 per 1,000 in
1991.
     Tables of the National Crime Victimization Survey's 1991
estimates are attached to this news release.  A final report will
be published later this year. 
     Additional information about BJS publications may be obtained
from the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, Box 6000,
Rockville, Maryland 20850. The telephone number is 
1-800-732-3277.  
 
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After hours contact: Stu Smith 301-983-9354