Illinois study shows two of every five were crime victims in 2002         

Victimization survey first of its kind in Illinois

[MARCH 15, 2005]  CHICAGO -- The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority has announced the release of its final report on the 2002 Illinois Crime Victimization Survey. The survey was the first of its kind in the state, aimed at gauging the extent and nature of crime victimization among residents age 18 and older.

More than 1,600 randomly selected Illinois residents responded to the survey. Crimes noted were both reported and unreported. Findings include:

• Nearly two in every five Illinoisans (39 percent) were victimized with a property, personal or computer crime.
• Nearly half of Chicago residents (47 percent) were victims of some type of personal, property or computer crime. Chicago’s victimization rate was significantly higher than rates for all other regions in the state.
• Thirteen percent of residents were victims of a personal crime, including robbery, assault, aggravated assault and sex crimes.
• Twenty-three percent of residents were victims of a property crime, including motor vehicle theft, theft, burglary and vandalism.
• One in four residents who used a computer experienced computer crime.
• Eleven percent of residents were victimized by someone they knew.
• Just 39 percent of all victimization incidents were reported to police. This percentage was higher for personal and property crime (46 and 45 percent, respectively) and lower for computer crime (11 percent).

The U.S. Department of Justice conducts crime victimization surveys on a national level, but this survey is the first specific to Illinois. Survey findings will help inform state decision-makers with regard to resource allocation, policy and practice in Illinois.

The Illinois Crime Victimization Survey final report can be downloaded from www.icjia.state.il.us. [To download Adobe Reader for the PDF file, click here.]

The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority is a state criminal justice planning agency that advises the governor and the General Assembly on issues facing the state’s criminal justice system. The agency administers criminal justice grants, develops and maintains criminal justice information systems, and conducts research to support criminal justice decision-making.

[News release from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority]