2011 violent crime rate jumps 17%

Ted Gest of The Crime Report is reporting that violent crime rates increased by 17 percent in 2011, according to Justice Department's National Crime Victimization Survey .

The nation's estimated rate of both violent and property crime shot up last year after several years of decline. The survey's unexpected 17 percent increase in violent crime was matched by an equally alarming 11 percent rise in property crime rates in 2011 compared with 2010.

The rate of violent crime victimization rate had dropped or remained steady since at least 1993.The surge in violent crime was not across the board, however.

The survey showed that it was entirely due to an increase in assaults, particularly simple assaults in which there was no bodily harm or weapon used. The estimated rates of the bellwether crime of robbery and also sexual assault remained the same from one year to the next.

To read the entire report: http://thecrimereport.s3.amazonaws.com/2/cc/0/1728/1/crime_victimization__2011.pdf