NCJ Number
201409
Date Published
January 2003
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This report compares Oregon's index crime rates to the Nation's crime rates over 27 years (1975-2001) and compares crime rates among Oregon's regions over this period.
Abstract
The data source is the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports series. The Index crimes that are the focus of this report consist of the violent crimes of murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, along with the property crimes of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. All crime rates in this report are per 100,000 population. Oregon had one of the 10 highest index crime rates in the Nation for 21 of the 27 years covered in this report. The larceny-theft rate has been the most significant factor in Oregon's crime rate for each of those years. Oregon has had one of the Nation's 10 highest larceny-theft rates in every year since 1975, with the exception of 1990 and 1991. In some years, high rates for other property crimes also increased Oregon's overall ranking among the States. Oregon's burglary rate was among the 10 highest in the Nation every year from 1975 through 1989, except for 1980 when Oregon ranked 11th. In 1994 and 1995, Oregon's motor vehicle theft rates were the seventh and sixth highest in the Nation, respectively. The report notes that Oregon's high property index crime rate could be partly due to a higher reporting rate. The Portland Metro area's violent index crime rate was typically two to three times higher than in other areas of the State. 24 figures