About one-half of all violent crimes committed against U.S. residents 12 years old and older during 2000 were reported to law enforcement authorities, according to the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics. During the same year, approximately one-third of all personal and household property crimes were brought to police attention.
BJS estimated there were 6.2 million violent crimes--rapes, sexual assaults, robberies, adn simple and aggravated assaults--in the U.S. during 2000, as well as about 276,000 personal thefts--purse snatches adn picked pockets--and 18.9 million property crimes--burglaries, stolen household property, and motor vehicle thefts.
Motor vehicle theft (81 percent) was the crime most likely to be reported to law enforcement authorities, whereas household theft (29 percent) was the least likely to be reported.
For the special report, "Reporting Crime to the Police, 1992-2000," (NCJ-195710), call 1-800-732-3277 or visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/rcp00.htm.
