Crime Statistics Preface
Statistics are provided describing Missouri's crime experience and characteristics. The primary source for these statistics is the Missouri Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program administered by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Prior to 2001, UCR data were provided on a voluntary basis by Missouri law enforcement agencies. In 2001, state statute RSMo 43.505 was enacted requiring Missouri law enforcement agencies to report UCR crime statistics. Increases in crime activity may reflect the transition from voluntary to mandatory UCR reporting. Care is warranted when directly comparing crime statistics prior to 2001 to post 2001. The Missouri Uniform Crime Reporting Program Instruction Manual (15.0MB pdf) describes UCR data and reporting requirements in more detail.
- Crime Index: The sum of eight major offenses including murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The first four offenses comprise the Violent Crime Index and the last four comprise the Property Crime Index.
- Violent Index Crimes: (Show Definitions) Murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault are included in this index.
- Murder: Murder and non-negligent manslaughter are the willful killing of one human being by another. Deaths caused by negligence, suicide, accident, justifiable homicide, and attempts to murder (i.e., aggravated assault) are not included in this offense classification. Murder offenses are reported on a per victim basis.
- Rape: Rape is the carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will. Assaults or attempts to commit rape by force or threat of force are included in this classification. However, statutory rape (without force), sex attacks on males, and other types of sex offenses are not included. Forcible rape offenses are reported on a per victim basis.
- Robbery: Robbery is the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear. This offense involves a theft or larceny but is aggravated by the element of force or threat of force. Robbery offenses are reported on an incident basis.
- Aggravated Assault: Aggravated assault is an unlawful attack or attempted attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. This type of assault usually is accompanied by the use of a weapon or by means likely to produce death or great bodily harm. All assaults or attempted assaults by one person upon another with the intent to kill, maim, or inflict severe bodily injury with the use of any dangerous weapon fall in this offense classification. Aggravated assault offenses are reported on a per victim basis.
- Property Index Crimes: (Show Definitions) Burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson are included in this index.
- Burglary: Burglary is the unlawful entry or attempted unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft. Burglary offenses are reported on an incident basis.
- Theft: Theft is the unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another. Crimes such as shoplifting, pocket-picking, purse-snatching, thefts from (but not of) motor vehicles, thefts of motor vehicle parts or accessories, bicycle thefts, etc., in which no use of force, violence, or fraud occurs are included in this crime offense. It does not include embezzlement, confidence games, forgery, or worthless checks. Theft offenses are reported on an incident basis.
- Motor Vehicle Theft: Motor vehicle theft is the theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. By definition, a motor vehicle is a self-propelled vehicle that runs on the surface and not on rails, including automobiles, trucks, buses, motorcycles, motor scooters, snowmobiles, etc. Motor vehicle theft offenses are reported on a per vehicle basis.
- Arson: Arson is defined as any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc. Only fires determined through investigation to have been willfully or maliciously set are classified as arsons. Fires of suspicious or unknown origins are not included in this crime classification. Arson offenses are reported on an incident basis.
- Domestic Violence: Domestic Violence incidents are reported whether or not an arrest is made and include any dispute arising between spouses, persons with children in common regardless of whether they reside together, persons related by blood, persons related by marriage, non-married persons currently residing together, and non-married persons who have resided together in the past. Domestic violence incidents are reported when an officer believes a dispute crosses an abuse threshold as indicated by harassment, stalking, coercion, assault, sexual assault, battery, or unlawful imprisonment. Domestic violence incidents are reported by the highest ranked relationship between victim and offender, regardless of the number of persons or multiple relationships present during an incident.
- LEOKA: Offenses related to Law Enforcement Officers Killed or Assaulted. Officers killed in the line of duty include those officers killed by felonious acts, as well as by accident or negligence. Fatalities of officers resulting from activities not within the official realm of law enforcement duties or deaths attributed to natural causes are not included in LEOKA statistics. Officer assaults are defined as any unlawful attack by a person on a law enforcement officer in the performance of his/her duty.