ASSAULT/ AGGRAVATED ASSAULT
Assault/ Aggravated Assault
The FBI defines aggravated assault as "an unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury". This type of assault is usually accompanied by the use of a weapon or by means likely to produce death or great bodily harm.
Statisics
Crime and Victimization in America *Clearances can occur by arrest or by exceptional means when some element beyond law enforcement control precludes the placing of formalcharges against the offender.4 In a study of lifetime prevalence of four types of violence,researchers found that almost 40 percent of Americanadolescents witnessed violence. Furthermore, 17 percentwere victims of physical assault; 9 percent were victims ofphysically abusive punishment; and 8 percent were victims ofsexual assault.105 Three in four American adolescents who were sexuallyassaulted were victimized by someone they knew well.Thirteen percent of sexual assaults were reported to police,6 percent to child protective services, 5 percent to schoolauthorities, and 1.3 percent to other authorities. Eighty-sixpercent of sexual assaults of adolescents went unreported.
VICTIMIZATION BY RACE/ETHNICITY In 2003, multiracial people (of two or more races) experiencedviolent crime at a rate two to three times higher than anysingle racial or ethnic group.107 Of those who identified themselves as being of one race,African-Americans experienced violent crime at the highestrate.108 In 2003, approximately 732,668 Hispanics were victims ofviolent crime in the United States.109 The percentage of African-American men (47 percent) andwomen (60 percent) who reported their violent victimization tothe police was higher than for any other racial or ethnic groupin 2003.110 Native Americans are at greatest risk of being victims of fraud:almost 34 percent of survey participants in this group hadbeen victims of fraud.111 The likelihood of being a victim of fraud for African Americans(17 percent) was greater than that of Hispanics (14 percent),or others (Hawaiians, Asians, and Pacific Islanders)(7 percent), with non-Hispanic whites the least likely to befraud victims (6 percent).112 Of reported hate crimes in 2003, 50 percent were motivatedby race.
VICTIMS OF CRIME AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM Only a third (34 percent) of the American public reports havinga great deal of confidence in the criminal justice system as awhole, while 42 percent report some confidence in the system,22 percent very little, and 1 percent none.114 However, almosttwo-thirds (64 percent) of the public has a great deal ofconfidence in the police, while 26 percent report having someconfidence, and 10 percent very little.115 A study of female domestic violence victims’ experiences withthe criminal justice system found that the victims perceivedvictim/witness advocates (36 percent) and the police (32percent) as having been extremely helpful. Prosecutors andjudges were the most likely to receive a “not at all helpful”rating—16.4 percent.116 Among non-victims, 85 percent of residents approved of thejob their local police were doing, while only 57 percent ofcrime victims felt that way.
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE In 2003, 631 murders were committed in the workplace.118 Three percent of all murders committed in the workplace werecommitted by the victim’s intimate partner (husband, wife, orboyfriend).119 An average of 1.7 million violent victimizations are committedannually against persons on the job.120 The majority of workplace violent crimes were aggravated andsimple assaults. Rape, sexual assault, robbery, and homicideaccounted for 6 percent of all incidents.121 Men were the majority of victims of workplace violence for allcrimes except rape or sexual assault (women were victims in80 percent of these cases).122 Less than a quarter of all workplace violence victims offeredsome type of physical resistance to the assailant.123 Twelve percent of workplace violence victims sustainedinjuries. More than half of these victims were not treated ordid not receive medical care.
GUNS AND CRIME Seven percent of violent crimes in 2003 involved firearms.56 Of robberies, 25 percent involved a firearm; of assaults,5 percent were firearm related; and of sexual assaults,3 percent involved a firearm.57 Sixteen percent of rejected firearms applications were deniedbecause of prior domestic violence misdemeanor convictionsor prior restraining orders against the applicant.58 In 2003, two-thirds of all homicide victims were killed with afirearm.59Firearms were used in 45 percent of carjacking incidents.