NCJ Number
86433
Date Published
Unknown
Length
95 pages
Annotation
This is the third annual report of the Massachusetts Public Safety Crime Reporting Unit since the inception of the State Uniform Crime Reporting Program in 1977.
Abstract
The Uniform Crime Reporting Program is supported by voluntary contributions of crime statistics from 329 law enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth. Its objectives are to identify the nature and extent of crime in the State and to provide information needed by law enforcement management, citizens, legislators, and researchers and planners. The data reported indicate that over the past 5 years, Massachusetts has experienced higher index crimes (9.7 percent above the national average) per 100,000 people than the Nation as a whole. Violent crime averaged 10 percent lower than the national average but property crime was higher by 11.8 percent between 1974 and 1978. During 1979, 326,559 index offenses were reported to Massachusetts law enforcement agencies. Considering the total population of the Commonwealth and the total number of reported offenses, there were 55.4 serious crimes per 100,000 Massachusetts residents in 1979. The report also contains statistics on officers assaulted and killed in 1979. The bulk of the document comprises tabular data.