Understanding the Statistics
These statistics are generated from crime data provided by the St. Joseph Police Department. The crime statistics on this site correspond to Uniform Crime Report (UCR) statistics. UCR statistics are published by the FBI for governmental jurisdictions all over the country. Part I statistics refer to the FBI's UCR of eight specific crimes; murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny, motor theft and arson. Part II crimes are all others. Be aware that sometimes apparent changes in crime rates actually reflect changes in the reporting methods, as specified by the U.S. Department of Justice. Please review the definitions provided to better understand the crimes being tallied. Except for homicide, all crimes listed include actual and attempted crimes. More information and statistics may be obtained by accessing the publications at www.fbi.gov/publications.

CRIME DEFINITIONS

Homicide - Unlawful killing of another human being.
Rape - Sexual intercourse without consent. Sexual crimes against children are reported separately as child abuse.
Robbery - Using force or fear to make someone surrender money or property.
Aggravated Assault - An assault that leads to injury. Many assaults do not result in any physical injury.
Burglary - Forcible or unauthorized entry into a building.
Stealing - Taking property without owner's consent. Includes shoplifting, stealing from co-worker's desk.
Vehicle Theft - Taking a car or other motor vehicle without owner's consent.
Arson - Intentionally burning property. Includes bomb threats.
Sex Offenses - Any sex offense not including Rape.
Simple Assault - An assault without any sort of weapon, such as slapping or spitting.
Disorderly Conduct - Prowling, peeping, invasion of privacy.
Vandalism - Deliberate destruction or damage of someone else's property.
Drug Offenses - Transporting, selling, furnishing, possessing controlled substances. Illegal sale of prescription drugs or drug paraphernalia.
All Other Offenses - Examples include perjury, liquor license violations, arson, cruelty to animals.