|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
APPENDIX III—Uniform Crime Reporting Area DefinitionsThis publication presents crime statistics by area, enabling data users to analyze local crime counts in relation to other areas of a like geographic location or population size. The Nation is divided into regions, divisions, and states. Data are also broken down using population figures and proximity to metropolitan areas. Sheriffs, county police, and state police generally report crimes within counties but outside cities; local police report crime in city limits. Community TypesThe Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program displays data aggregated by three types of communities: 1. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs)—Each MSA has a central city with at least 50,000 inhabitants or an urbanized area of at least 50,000 in population. MSAs include the county of the central city and other contiguous counties that have substantial economic and social ties to the central city and county. For UCR purposes, counties in an MSA are considered suburban. An MSA may cross state lines. Establishing reporting units representing major population centers assists data users in analyzing and presenting uniform statistical data on metropolitan areas. The Program discourages data users from making year-to-year comparisons of MSA data because of changes in the geographic composition of MSAs. New England MSAs are comprised of cities and towns instead of counties. In this publication's tabular presentations, New England cities and towns are assigned to the proper MSA. However, statistics for the areas outside of these MSAs are compiled in county data presentations. In the counties that have both suburban and rural portions, data for state police and sheriffs are included in statistics for the rural areas. About 80 percent of the Nation's population inhabited MSAs in 2002. Some presentations in this publication refer to suburban areas, which include cities with under 50,000 population as well as unincorporated areas within the MSA and exclude central cities. The suburban area concept is important because of the unique crime conditions in the communities around the United States' largest cities. 2. Cities Outside MSAs—Cities outside MSAs are mostly incorporated areas and made up 8 percent of the Nation's population in 2002. 3. Rural Counties Outside MSAs—Most rural counties are composed of unincorporated areas. Law enforcement agencies in rural counties cover areas that are not under the jurisdiction of city police departments. Some 12 percent of the population in 2002 were served by rural law enforcement agencies. Community types are illustrated below:
Population GroupsThe UCR Program uses the following population group classifications:
Individual law enforcement agencies are the major source of UCR data. Annually, the number of agencies included in each population group varies because of population growth, geopolitical consolidation, municipal incorporation, etc. In noncensus years, the UCR Program estimates population figures for individual jurisdictions. A more comprehensive explanation of population estimations is located in Appendix I. The table below displays the number of agencies contributing to the UCR Program within each population group for 2002.
Regions and DivisionsThe accompanying map depicts the four regions of the United States: the Northeastern States, the Midwestern States, the Southern States, and the Western States. Further, the regions are split into nine divisions. The table lists the regional, divisional, and state organization of the Nation for the UCR Program's purposes.
Regions and Divisions of the United States, 2002
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||