Definition

Burglary is defined in the Uniform Crime Reporting Program as the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft.  The use of force to gain entry is not required to classify an offense as a burglary.  Burglary in the Program is categorized into three subclassifications:  forcible entry, unlawful entry where no force is used, and attempted forcible entry.

Trend

National Volume, Trends, and Rates

Burglary offenses nationwide in 2002 were estimated at 2,151,875, marking a 1.7 percent increase when compared to the 2001 estimate. Burglary offenses made up 18.1 percent of the Crime Index and 20.6 percent of all property crimes. Five- and 10-year trends showed that the estimated burglary volume decreased 7.8 percent when compared to the 1998 estimate, and it was down 24.1 percent when compared to 1993 data. (See Table 1.)

Two-, 5-, and 10-year trend data showed that in 2002 the burglary rate was estimated at 746.2 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants. This was an increase of 0.6 percent when compared to the burglary rate in 2001, a 13.5 percent decrease from the 1998 rate, and a 32.1 percent decrease from the 1993 rate. (See Table 1.)

Community Types

Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), which made up approximately 80 percent of the total U.S. population, accounted for 82.6 percent of the Nation's burglaries and had an estimated burglary rate of 768.5 per 100,000 persons in 2002. Cities outside of MSAs, which comprised approximately 8 percent of the Nation's population, accounted for an estimated 8.4 percent of the burglaries and had a burglary rate of 805.4 per 100,000 in population. Rural areas, comprising approximately 12 percent of the U.S. population, had an estimated 9.0 percent of the country's burglaries, or a rate of 558.2 burglaries per 100,000 inhabitants. (Based on Table 2.)

Regional Offense Trends and Rates

The UCR Program divides the United States into four regions: the Northeast, the Midwest, the South, and the West. (See Appendix III.) In 2002, data collected regarding the Nation's four regions reflected the following:

The Northeast

The Northeast, accounting for 18.8 percent of the U.S. population, had an estimated 11.5 percent of the burglaries nationwide. A comparison with 2001 data showed that in 2002 the Northeast was the only region to experience a decrease in the volume of burglaries (1.8 percent). The burglary rate per 100,000 persons for 2002 was estimated at 457.8 offenses per 100,000 persons—a 2.3 percent decrease from the 2001 rate. (See Tables 3 and 4.)

The Midwest

The Midwest, comprising 22.6 percent of the country's population, had an estimated 20.7 percent of all burglaries. In 2002, the region experienced a 1.8 percent increase in the volume of burglaries over the 2001 estimate. The burglary rate per 100,000 inhabitants for 2002 was 685.4, which was a 1.3 percent increase over the 2001 estimate. (See Tables 3 and 4.)

The South

In 2002, the South, which makes up 35.8 percent of the U.S. population, experienced an estimated 44.8 percent of the Nation's burglaries, a 1.5 percent increase in the volume of burglaries from the 2001 estimate. The burglary rate per 100,000 inhabitants was 932.6, a 0.1 percent increase when compared to the 2001 rate. (See Tables 3 and 4.)

The West

The West, with 22.8 percent of the Nation's population, had an estimated 22.9 percent of all burglaries. In 2002, the region experienced a 3.9 percent increase in the volume of burglaries over the 2001 volume. The burglary rate per 100,000 in population in 2002 was estimated at 751.5, an increase of 2.2 percent when compared to the estimated rate in 2001. (See Tables 3 and 4.)

Population Groups: Trends and Rates

An examination of the data by population group showed that those cities with populations under 10,000, as well as those with populations from 10,000 to 24,999, experienced a 2.8 percent increase in reported burglaries in 2002. Those cities with populations of 250,000 and over were the only population group to experience a decline, 0.3 percent, from 2001. The Nation's cities collectively saw a 1.0 percent increase in the number of burglaries reported in 2002 when compared to the 2001 estimate. Suburban counties had an increase of 2.6 percent, and rural counties had an increase in burglaries of 2.4 percent. (See Table 12.)

In 2002, the Nation's cities collectively had a burglary rate of 840.8 offenses per 100,000 persons. Those cities with populations from 500,000 to 999,999 had a burglary rate of 1,213.6 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants, the highest among all population groups. Cities with populations of 10,000 to 24,999 had the lowest rate among the Nation's cities, 645.6 per 100,000 persons. Suburban counties had a rate of 652.6 burglaries per 100,000 in population, and rural counties had a rate of 595.9 per 100,000 persons. (See Table 16.)

Offense Analysis

Among those agencies that reported burglary statistics for all 12 months of 2002, the data showed that forcible entry burglaries accounted for 62.8 percent of the burglary offenses, unlawful entry comprised 30.8 percent, and attempted forcible entry accounted for approximately 6.5 percent. (Based on Table 19.)

The majority of burglaries, 65.8 percent, were residential, and the remaining 34.2 percent were of nonresidences, such as stores, offices, etc. A review of burglary data in which the time of the offense was known showed that most residential burglaries, 61.7 percent, occurred during daytime hours, and most nonresidential burglaries, 57.7 percent, occurred at night. The time of occurrence for 24.1 percent of burglaries was unknown. (Based on Table 23.)

Losses due to burglary totaled an estimated $3.3 billion in 2002, with an estimated average value of $1,549 per offense. Residential burglaries averaged $1,482 per offense, and nonresidental burglaries averaged $1,678 per offense. (Based on Table 23.)

Clearances

Law enforcement cleared 13.0 percent of reported burglaries by arrest or exceptional means in 2002. Cities with under 10,000 in population cleared 16.3 percent of burglaries, the highest percentage of clearances among the Nation's cities. Those cities with populations of 500,000 to 999,999 cleared the lowest percentage of burglaries, 9.4 percent. Cities overall cleared 12.3 percent of burglaries in 2002. Rural counties cleared 16.6 percent of burglary offenses, and suburban counties cleared 14.0 percent. (See Table 25.)

Regionally, law enforcement agencies in the Northeast cleared 17.7 percent of the burglaries brought to the attention of law enforcement. Those in the South cleared 13.4 percent of burglaries, in the West 11.8 percent, and in the Midwest 11.0 percent. (See Table 26.)

Burglaries involving unlawful entry without use of force were cleared by arrest or exceptional means in 14.1 percent of the reported cases during 2002. Approximately 10.8 percent of attempted forcible entry burglaries and 12.3 percent of forcible entry burglaries were cleared. (See Table 27.)

Clearances and Juveniles

The UCR Program considers an incident involving only offenders under the age of 18 to be cleared by arrest when an offender is cited to appear in juvenile court or before other juvenile authorities, even though a physical arrest may not have occurred. Clearances involving both adult and juvenile offenders are classified as adult clearances. Therefore, juveniles who may be participating in a burglary with an adult were not included in these figures.

In 2002, persons under 18 years of age comprised 17.3 percent of the burglaries cleared by arrest or exceptional means. A review of the data by population group showed that cities with populations under 10,000 had the highest percentage of clearances for burglary involving juveniles at 21.5 percent. Cities 250,000 and over in population had the lowest percentage of clearances for burglary involving juveniles at 14.4 percent. Rural county agencies reported that 16.6 percent of the burglary clearances in their jurisdictions were of juveniles, and suburban county agencies reported that juveniles accounted for 17.6 percent of clearances. (See Table 28.)

Arrests

The estimated number of burglary arrests for 2002 was 288,291. Burglary arrests accounted for an estimated 12.9 percent of the arrests for Crime Index offenses and an estimated 17.9 percent of the arrests for property crimes. (Based on Table 29.)

In 2002, law enforcement agencies in the West reported 121.2 burglary arrests per 100,000 inhabitants. Agencies in the South reported an arrest rate of 103.5, the Northeast a rate of 83.3, and the Midwest a rate of 81.5 burglary arrests per 100,000 in population. (See Table 30.)

The Nation's cities collectively reported a burglary arrest rate per 100,000 inhabitants of 106.3. Those cities with populations of 25,000 to 49,999 reported the fewest arrests per 100,000 inhabitants, 89.1. Cities with 100,000 to 249,999 inhabitants reported the highest number of arrests per 100,000 population, 123.4. Rural and suburban counties reported arrest rates of 95.2 and 83.1, respectively. (See Table 31.)

When compared to 2001 data, overall arrests for burglaries in 2002 increased 0.6 percent. Arrests of adults increased 2.9 percent; however, arrests of juveniles declined 4.4 percent. (See Table 36.)

Five- and 10-year trend data showed that burglary arrests overall declined 12.0 percent since 1998 and 29.7 percent since 1993. Additionally, in 2002 arrests of adults for burglary declined 4.2 percent since 1998 and 24.4 percent since 1993; arrests of juveniles declined 26.1 percent since 1998 and 39.2 percent since 1993. (See Tables 32 and 34.)

Adults (persons aged 18 and over) comprised 70.0 percent of those individuals arrested for burglary in 2002. (Based on Table 38.) Males accounted for 86.7 percent of burglary arrestees. (See Table 42.) Of the male arrestees, 30.7 percent were juveniles (under 18 years of age). (Based on Table 39.) Of the female arrestees, 25.3 percent were juveniles. (Based on Table 40.)

By race, 70.4 percent of all burglary arrestees were white, 27.5 percent were black, and 2.1 percent were of other races. Of those adults arrested for burglary, 69.6 percent were white, 28.5 percent were black, and 1.9 percent were of other races. Of burglary arrestees under age 18, 72.4 percent were white, 25.2 percent were black, and 2.4 were of other races. (See Table 43.)

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Figure 2.13

Burglary

Percent Change from 1998

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Figure 2.14

Burglary

Percent Change from 1998

Residential

Nonresidential

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