U.S. DOJ -- First Estimates of Crime Against People with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) has issued the first estimates of crime against people with disabilities.

Using 2007 National Crime Victimization Survey data, BJS estimates that about one third (34%) of the crimes against persons with or without a disability in 2007 were serious violent crimes (rape/sexual assault, robbery, or aggravated assault). Persons with disabilities were victims of about 47,000 rapes, 79,000 robberies, 114,000 aggravated assaults, and 476,000 simple assaults.

Other findings include:

The rate of nonfatal violent crimes against people with disabilities was 1.5 times higher than the rate for people without disabilities.

Rates of rape and sexual assault were more than twice those for people without disabilities.

Youth with a disability ages 12 to 19 experienced violence at nearly twice the rate as those without a disability.

People with cognitive disabilities had a higher risk of violent victimization than persons with any other type of disability.

People with multiple disabilities accounted for about 56% of all violent crime victimizations against those with any disability.

Nearly 1 in 5 violent crime victims with a disability believed that they became a victim because of their disability.

Similar percentages of victims of violent crime with disabilities (58%) and without disabilities (60%) resisted their attackers.

Police did not respond to about 23% of reported violent crimes against people with disabilities, compared to about 10% of reported violent crimes against victims without disabilities.

The Crime Victims with Disabilities Awareness Act (Public Law 105-301), 1998, required the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) to measure the victimization of people with disabilities.

For more information, read the Department of Justice press release: First National Study on Crime Against People with Disabilities

Read the text-only version of the report: Crime Against People with Disabilities

Read the PDF version of the report: Crime Against People with Disabilities (PDF file)

To apply to join, contact Marc Dubin, Esq., Chair, at mdubin@pobox.com or at 305 896 3000.

Committee Meeting Scheduled

The next meeting of the UPC is scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 3rd, from 10 am - 12 noon, at the offices of the Center for Independent Living of South Florida, located at 6660 Biscayne Bled in Miami. There is parking in the back, and light refreshments will be served. Please let us know if you need a sign language interpreter or other auxiliary aid or service no later than Weds, February 23rd, by calling Mary Fountain, at 305-751-8025 or emailing her at mary@soflacil.org. RSVPs to Mary's attention would be appreciated. One may also participate by conference call: 800-204-5502 Pin 938460#

The agenda for the meeting is set forth below:

1. Introductions

2. Discussion of identification of underserved populations

3. Discussion of development of the Committee's goals and objectives

4. Discussion of Blog and listserv

5. Discussion of next steps

6. Setting of date and place of next meeting

7. Adjournment

To apply to join, contact Marc Dubin, Esq., Chair, at mdubin@pobox.com or at 305 896 3000.

Application to Join UPC Committee

Membership in the Underserved Populations Committee is open to all, and members of underserved populations and those providing them services are encouraged to apply. The Application Form is set forth below:

Name:

Address:

Phone:

Cell Phone:

Gender:

Email:

Organizational Affiliation, if any:

Website or Blog address:

Are you a member of an underserved population? If so, which one?

Please fax the completed application to the attention of Marc Dubin, Esq., Chair of the Underserved Populations Committee, at 877-731-3030, or email the completed application to mdubin@pobox.com. Marc can also be reached at 305 - 896-3000.

To apply to join, contact Marc Dubin, Esq., Chair, at mdubin@pobox.com or at 305 896 3000.