The FBI has been compiling and publishing U. S. crime statistics since 1930. The crime data are received from over 18,000 city, university/college, county, state, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies.

Currently, while most reporting agencies do collect data on animal cruelty crimes, the information is generally rendered of little value because it is housed in catch-all category “All Other Offenses” where it is lost in the mix with a variety of other crimes. From now on, the data on animal cruelty crimes will appear in the statistics report as its own category and will thus be available for separate review and analysis. Law enforcement officials, policymakers and researchers will be better able to track and understand animal abuse, identify trends and allocate resources. The animal cruelty crimes to be reported include simple/gross neglect, intentional abuse and torture, organized abuse, and animal sexual abuse.

With the inclusion of animal cruelty crime, the Uniform Crime Report will provide a more complete picture not only of overall crime, but also of a serious type of crime that is linked with so many others, such as domestic violence, drugs, illegal weapons, and gang activity.

Source : AWI Quartely Fall 2014 – Vol 63 – nº 4