Lisa D. Bastian, Bureau of Justice Statistics

January 1, 1990    NCJ 120507

For every 1,000 Hispanics aged 12 and older, there were 11 robberies and 12 aggravated assaults; for every 1,000 non-Hispanics, there were 6 robberies and 10 aggravated assaults. The annual rate of violent crimes committed against Hispanics, however, dropped after 1983 from about 44 crimes per 1,000 to about 31 per 1,000 in 1985. Hispanics suffered a higher rate of household crimes (burglaries, household larceny, and motor vehicle theft) than did non-Hispanics. For the entire period, an annual average of 266 household victimizations occurred per 1,000 households headed by a Hispanic, compared to 205 crimes per 1,000 non-Hispanic households. The street was the most common place for violent crimes to occur. Hispanic victims of violent crimes were more likely to be accosted by a stranger (65 percent) than were white victims (58 percent) or black victims (54 percent). Conversely, Hispanic victims were the least likely (12 percent) and blacks the most likely (22 percent) to be accosted by someone well-known to them. Hispanic and black robbery victims (57 percent) were more likely to face an offender with a weapon than whites (43 percent). Overall, Hispanics were about as likely as whites and blacks to report victimization to the police. For most crimes, Hispanic and non-Hispanic individuals sharing the same demographic characteristics had generally comparable victimization rates, except for robbery and to a lesser extent aggravated assault. The NCS survey methodology, estimation procedures, and reliability of comparisons are detailed. 18 tables.

Part of the Criminal Victimization: National Crime Victimization Survey Series

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