Michael R. Rand, Bureau of Justice Statistics

May 1, 1984    NCJ 93658

The National Crime Survey derives data from interviews with 60,000 housing unit occupants every 6 months. The total number of occupants over 12 years old comes to approximately 128,000. The proportion of the Nation's households touched by violent crime or theft fell in 1983 to 27 percent, from 1982's 29 percent. For every type of crime, the percentage of households victimized dropped. Robbery, aggravated assault, and burglary percentages dropped dramatically. Suburban areas are starting to resemble rural areas rather than cities in their vulnerability to crime. Only personal larceny without contact occurred most frequently in suburban areas. The difference between the percentages of white and black households touched by crime was about the same as in the previous 2 years. Black households, higher-income households, and households in central cities had the greatest vulnerability to criminal victimization. Overall, the more people in a household, the greater its vulnerability, although this tendency is more pronounced for personal crimes than for household crimes. Three tables and two figures are included.

Part of the Crime and the Nation's Households Series

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