When you think of a violent crime, you might think of murders or fights with weapons. You’re on the right track. Violent crimes can be divided into four main categories including murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, robbery, aggravated assault, and forcible rape. These crimes are defined as violent because they involve force or the threat of force. That means that even if an assault doesn’t take place, if there is a real threat of danger to another person, that person could accuse you of assault and threatening force against him or her.
If you’re accused of a violent crime, you risk serious penalties if you are convicted. These are some of the most serious crimes punishable by law, because they are dangerous to others. You should defend yourself immediately if you’re accused of murder or robbery; your attorney can help you go over the defenses that could work best for you.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation collects data on the number of violent crimes that occur in the United States. In 2014, it was shown that around 1,165,383 violent crimes occurred around the nation. The number of murders decreased by 0.5 percent from the year before. Robbery also decreased by 5.6 percent.
Overall, the number of violent crimes decreased by 0.2 percent between 2013 and 2014, which is good news for the U.S. The rate of violent crimes per 100,000 inhabitants was 365.5 offenses, with aggravated assaults and rapes increasing in frequency between 2013 and 2014 by 2 and 2.4 percent respectively.
Interestingly, the number of arrests per 100,000 inhabitants was only 156.7, significantly lower than the estimated number of incidents.