Houston, TX Crime Reports & Statistics

Law Enforcement officers are individuals who ordinarily carry a firearm and a badge, have full arrest powers, and are paid from governmental funds set aside specifically for sworn law enforcement representatives. (UCR Definition)

In 2009, Houston, Texas law enforcement had 25593 violent crimes reported. With a population of 2,273,771 in 2009, there were 112.6 occurrences of violent crimes per 10k persons in Houston, Texas. The total known offenses in 2006, 2007 and 2008 were 24250, 24564 and 24779, respectively .

Violent crime is composed of four offenses: forcible rape, murder and non-negligent manslaughter, aggravated assault, and robbery. Violent crimes involve force or threat of force. (UCR Definition)

Houston, Texas had 287 murders in 2009. With a total population of 2273771 in 2009, there were 1.3 occurrences of murder per 10k persons in Houston, Texas. The murder rates in Houston, Texas in 2006, 2007 and 2008 were 377, 351 and 294, respectively.

Murder and non-negligent manslaughter is the willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another. (UCR Definition)

The total known offenses of aggravated assault in Houston, Texas in 2009 was 13116. Houston had 57.7 occurrences of aggravated assault per 10k persons in a population of 2,273,771 in 2009. In Houston there were 11648 offenses in 2006, 12040 in 2007, and 13132 in 2008.

Aggravated assault is an unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. The Program further specifies that this type of assault is usually accompanied by the use of a weapon or by other means likely to produce death or great bodily harm. Attempted aggravated assault that involves the display of--or threat to use--a gun, knife, or other weapon is included in this crime category because serious personal injury would likely result if the assault were completed. When aggravated assault and larceny-theft occur together, the offense falls under the category of robbery. (UCR Definition)

In 2009, Houston, Texas had 11367 occurrences of robberies reported to the police. With 2,273,771 in 2009 people living in Houston, in 2009 there were 50.0 occurrences per 10k persons. Based on statistics from the FBI, there were 11371 robberies in 2006, 11479 in 2007 and 10603 in 2008.

Robbery is the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear. (UCR Definition)

A property crime includes burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson. In 2009, Houston, Texas had 120933 property crimes. The population in 2009 for Houston was 2,273,771 in 2009; the number of violent crimes per 10k persons was 531.9. Looking back at the previous three years in Houston, Texas, you will see that there were 121053 property crimes in 2006, 123326 in 2007 and 110759 in 2008.

A property crime includes the offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The object of the theft-type offenses is the taking of money or property, but there is no force or threat of force against the victims. The property crime category includes arson because the offense involves the destruction of property; however, arson victims may be subjected to force. Because of limited participation and varying collection procedures by local agencies, only limited data are available for arson. Arson statistics are included in trend, clearance, and arrest tables throughout Crime in the United States, but they are not included in any estimated volume data. The arson section in this report provides more information on that offense. (UCR Definition)

The total known offenses of burglary in Houston, Texas in 2009 was 29279. Burglary is part of the violent crimes category. Based on the known offenses and its population of 2,273,771 in 2009 in 2009, Houston, Texas had 128.8 occurrences of burglary per 10k persons. In Houston there were 26869 burglary offenses in 2006, 29044 in 2007, and 26947 in 2008.

Burglary is defined in the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) 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 UCR program is categorized into three sub classifications: forcible entry, unlawful entry where no force is used, and attempted forcible entry. (UCR Definition)

Did you know that a burglary occurs in the United States every 15 seconds? In 2008, there were 2.4 billion burglaries in just the U.S.A! Property loss due to burglary totaled $4.3 billion in 2008, with an average loss of $1,991 per occurrence. You may qualify for a FREE home security system; simply fill out the form on the top of this page to get a free, no-obligation quote and protect yourself from being part of these statistics.

Houston, Texas had 77058 offenses of larceny-theft reported to the police in 2009. With 2,273,771 in 2009 people living in Houston that year, there were 338.9 occurrences per 10k persons. Based on the statistics from the FBI, there were 73091 larceny-thefts in 2006, 74817 in 2007 and 68598 in 2008.

Larceny-theft (except motor vehicle theft) is the unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another. Examples are thefts of bicycles or automobile accessories, shoplifting, pocket-picking, or the stealing of any property or article which is not taken by force and violence or by fraud. Attempted larcenies are included. Embezzlement, confidence games, forgery, worthless checks, etc., are excluded. (UCR Definition)

In 2009, Houston, Texas law enforcement had 14596 motor vehicle thefts reported. With a population of 2,273,771 in 2009 in Houston, there were 64.2 occurrences of motor vehicle theft per 10k persons. The total known offenses by law enforcement of this kind in 2006, 2007 and 2008 were 21093, 19465 and 15214, respectively.

Motor vehicle theft is the theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. The offense includes the stealing of automobiles, trucks, buses, motorcycles, snowmobiles, etc. The taking of a motor vehicle for temporary use by persons having lawful access is excluded from this definition. (UCR Definition)

The total known offenses of arson in Houston in 2009 was 959. Houston, Texas had 4.2 occurrences of arson per 10k persons in a population of 2,273,771 in 2009. In Houston, Texas, the known offenses of arson were 1121 in 2006, 1047 in 2007, and 956 in 2008.

Arson is any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc. (UCR Definition)