[lbo-talk] domestic violence reports down over 50%

[Stannard67 at aol.com]

Domestic Violence Drops by More Than Half
By SIOBHAN McDONOUGH, AP
WASHINGTON (June 13) - Specialists are crediting greater public attention to 
child abuse and other family related violence with helping cause a steep drop 
in reported domestic crimes.
Between 1993 and 2002, the rate of family violence fell from about 5.4 
victims to 2.1 victims per 1,000 residents age 12 and older, according to a Justice 
Department report released Sunday.
Simple assault was the most frequent type of violent offense. Murder 
accounted for less than one-half of 1 percent of all family violence between 1998 and 
2002 - the most recent years analyzed for the report.
The report looked back to 1993 - the year the survey was redesigned - for a 
long-term trend in family violence, but analyzed the most recent years to glean 
detailed information on patterns of crime.
Almost half of the 3.5 million victims of family violence between 1998 and 
2002 were spouses. Fewer than one in 100 died as a result.
The study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that:
· 73 percent of victims were female.
· 75 percent of offenders were male.
· Most violence happened in or near the victim's home.
· 74 percent of victims were white.
· Most victims were between ages 25 and 54.
· 79 percent of offenders were white; most were at least 30 years old.
Esta Soler, president of the Family Violence Prevention Fund, said the report 
"offers a ray of hope that our nation is finally on the right track in 
addressing the violence that devastates so many families in this country."
"But our work is not nearly done. Domestic, dating and family violence are 
still taking a terrible toil," she said.
Beverly Balos, a University of Minnesota law professor and specialist in 
domestic violence issues, added:
"We should be celebrating the overall decline in domestic violence in terms 
of thinking about services that have been possible over the last 10 years in 
individual states. It's made a difference in keeping women and children safe."
Violent crimes are rape, robbery, aggravated assault and homicides including 
murder and manslaughter. Family violence includes all types of violent crime 
committed by someone related to the victim.
Balos noted the drop in family violence is part of an overall decrease in 
violent crime in past years.
According to the most recent Justice Department report, the violent crime 
rate remained at the lowest level recorded since 1973. The rate was 22.6 per 
1,000 people. In 2002, it was 23.1 per 1,000.
Family violence is measured through the National Crime Victimization Survey, 
based on survey interviews with samples of the U.S. population. It is also 
measured through the FBI's National Incident Based Reporting System, based on 
statistics compiled by local police departments.
Figures from the survey show that family violence accounted for 11 percent of 
all violent crime between 1998 and 2002, both reported to police and 
unreported. Police statistics show that family violence makes up nearly 33 percent of 
all police-recorded violence.
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