Crime Definitions
Crime.--There are two major approaches taken in determining the extent of
crime. One perspective is provided by the FBI through its Uniform Crime
Reporting Program (UCR). The FBI receives monthly and annual reports from law
enforcement agencies throughout the country, currently representing 98 percent
of the national population. Each month, city police, sheriffs, and State police
file reports on the number of index offenses that become known to them. The FBI
Crime Index offenses are as follows:
- Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, is based on police investigations, as
opposed to the determination of a medical examiner or judicial body, includes
willful felonious homicides, and excludes attempts and assaults to kill,
suicides, accidental deaths, justifiable homicides, and deaths caused by
negligence
- Forcible rape includes forcible rapes and attempts
- Robbery includes stealing or taking anything of value by force or violence or
threat of force or violence and includes attempted robbery
- Aggravated assault includes assault with intent to kill
- Burglary includes any unlawful entry to commit a felony or a theft and
includes attempted burglary and burglary followed by larceny
- Larceny includes theft of property or articles of value without use of force
and violence or fraud and excludes embezzlement, ``con games,'' forgery, etc.
- Motor vehicle theft includes all cases where vehicles are driven away and
abandoned, but excludes vehicles taken for temporary use and returned by the
taker
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