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Injuries From Violent Crime, 1992-98

NCJ Number
168633
Author(s)
Thomas Simon Ph.D.; James Mercy Ph.D.; Craig Perkins
Editor(s)
Tom Hester, Ellen Goldberg
Date Published
June 2001
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This report contains statistics on injuries from violent crime during the period 1992-98.
Abstract

Presents data from the redesigned National Crime Victimization Survey, examining injuries as a result of violent victimizations. This report was a joint effort of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and BJS. It describes the nature and severity of injuries caused by rape, robbery, and aggravated and simple assault, comparing victims' injuries by characteristics of the victim and offender including relationship, age, sex, and race/ethnicity. The report also compares the likelihood of an injury from a violent crime by characteristics of the incident such as time of day, location, victim's activity, and the presence of weapons. The percentages of victims informing police and receiving medical care are also examined by severity of injury.

  • Nearly 1 in 5 injured violent crime victims, or an average of just under 480,000 persons per year, were treated in an emergency department or hospital for violence-related injuries.
  • Of the violent crimes measured by the NCVS, a higher percentage involved injury when committed by an intimate partner (48%) or a family member (32%) than when committed by a stranger (20%).
  • Between 1992 to 1998, 72% of the average annual 21,232 homicide victims age 12 or older were killed with a firearm