NCJ Number
149444
Date Published
1994
Length
53 pages
Annotation
This report summarizes the nature and extent of crime in California, short-term and long-term trends in crime, crime costs characteristics of victims and perpetrators, the response of the criminal justice system, and policy implications.
Abstract
The report notes that crime has increased substantially over the last several decades, although overall crime reached its peak in California in 1980. Preliminary data from the first 6 months of 1993 indicate that all categories of violent crime, except for homicide, have declined from the same period in 1992. Although the homicide rate has increased, it still accounts for only a tiny fraction of overall violent crime. Seventy percent of all crimes are property crimes, a proportion that has remained stable in recent years. Contrary to public perception, Californians are more likely to be victimized by an accident in their own homes than by crime. The decline in crime rates in California in the 1980's was due partly to the aging of the population. The criminal justice system deals with only a small portion of all criminal activity, because about two-thirds of all crimes go unreported to or undiscovered by police. Policymakers need to recognize the relationships among different parts of the criminal justice system, the need for flexibility, and the limited impact of imprisonment on the overall level of crime. Figures and tables