Legal Definitions - crime statistics

Definition: Crime statistics are numbers collected by a government agency that show how often different types of crimes happen in a specific area during a certain period of time.

Examples:

• In 2019, the FBI released crime statistics for the United States that showed an increase in violent crime compared to the previous year.
• The city of Chicago releases monthly crime statistics that show the number of homicides, robberies, and other crimes that have occurred in each police district.

These examples illustrate how crime statistics are used to track and analyze crime trends. By collecting data on the types and frequency of crimes, law enforcement agencies and policymakers can make informed decisions about how to allocate resources and prevent crime.