U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Bureau of Justice Statistics

September 2010, NCJ 227379

Special Report

For a list of publications in this series go to http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=dcdetail&iid=245

Highlights

27.6%

Household member

present

Victim of

violent

crime

All household

burglaries

3,713,000

All household

burglaries

3,713,000

Household

member victim

of violent crime

266,560

27.5%

Offender was

a stranger

65.1%

Offender was

not a stranger

Unknown offender

No violence

72.4%

Household member

not present

Household

member victim

of violent crime

7.2%

26%

7.4%

National Crime Victimization Survey

Victimization During Household Burglary

Shannan Catalano, Ph.D., 

BJS Statistician

n estimated 3.7 million household

burglaries occurred each year on

average from 2003 to 2007. In about

28% of these burglaries, a household member

was present during the burglary. In 7% of all

household burglaries, a household member

experienced some form of violent victimization

(figure 1). 

These estimates of burglary are based on a

revised definition of burglary from the standard

classification in the National Crime

Victimization Survey (NCVS). Historically,

burglary is classified as a property crime except

when someone is home during the burglary and

a household member is attacked or threatened.

When someone is home during a burglary and

experiences violence, NCVS classification rules

categorize the victimization as a personal (rape/

sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated and

simple assault) rather than a property crime

(household burglary, theft, and motor vehicle

theft). In this report, the definition of household

burglary includes burglaries in which a

household member was a victim of a violent

crime (see Methodology). 

Figure 1. 

Number and percent distribution of household burglaries, 2003–2007

• An estimated 3.7 million burglaries occurred each year on 

average from 2003 to 2007. 

• A household member was present in roughly 1 million burglaries and became victims of violent crimes in 266,560 burglaries. 

• Simple assault (15%) was the most common form of violence 

when a resident was home and violence occurred. Robbery 

(7%) and rape (3%) were less likely to occur when a household 

member was present and violence occurred.

• Offenders were known to their victims in 65% of violent burglaries; offenders were strangers in 28%. 

• Overall, 61% of offenders were unarmed when violence 

occurred during a burglary while a resident was present. About 

12% of all households violently burglarized while someone was 

home faced an offender armed with a firearm.

• Households residing in single family units and higher density 

structures of 10 or more units were least likely to be burglarized 

(8 per 1,000 households) while a household member was present.

• Serious injury accounted for 9% and minor injury accounted 

for 36% of injuries sustained by household members who were 

home and experienced violence during a completed burglary.

A
2 Victimization During Household Burglary

Table 1. 

Household burglaries, by type, 2003–2007

Average annual 

number of burglaries

Percent of burglaries

Type of burglary

Household 

member present

Household member 

experienced violence

Household burglary 3,713,000 27.6 % 7.2 %

Completed 3,083,750 26.7 % 8.0 %

Forcible entry 1,134,230 15.5 4.9

Unlawful entry 1,949,520 33.3 9.7

Attempted forcible entry 629,250 32.0 % 3.4 %

Note: Percent present is calculated as the number of households in which someone was home during a 

burglary (N=1,025,520) divided by the number of household burglaries (N=3,713,000). Percent experiencing violence is calculated as the number of households experiencing violence (N=266,560) divided by the 

number of household burglaries (N=3,713,000).

“Home invasion” has been used widely to describe an array of victimizations

“Home invasion” has been used broadly to describe any crime

committed by an individual unlawfully entering a residence

while someone is home. More narrowly, home invasion has

been used to describe a situation where an offender forcibly

enters an occupied residence with the specific intent of

robbing or violently harming those inside. 

The limited numbers of states incorporating the term “home

invasion” into their state statutes include the intent on the part

of the offender in their definition. In part, these statutes have

defined intent as—

• A person enters or remains unlawfully in a dwelling with 

the intent of committing a violent crime; 

• A person knowingly enters the dwelling place of another 

with the knowledge or expectation that someone (one or 

more persons) is present; 

• The unauthorized entering of any inhabited dwelling or 

other structure belonging to another with the intent to use 

force or violence upon the person of another.

Public perception and media reports of home 

invasion do not necessarily include intent

Public perception and media reports of home invasion do not

necessarily include intent on the part of the offender.

Situations reported by the media as home invasion include—

• An offender forcibly enters a home to rob the household of 

specific items, including cash, drugs, or other items— specific households or residents may become a target either to 

“settle a score” or because residents are perceived as vulnerable, such as persons with disabilities and the elderly.

• An offender enters a residence falsely believing no one is 

home and a confrontation occurs between the resident and 

the offender.

• A household member returns home while a burglary is in 

progress and a confrontation occurs between the household 

member and the offender.

National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) 

estimates of nonfatal crimes and the 

consequences to victims do not include offender 

motivation 

The NCVS provides estimates of nonfatal violent and property

crime and the consequences to victims. If a victim suffers

violence during a burglary, NCVS classification rules

categorize the victimization as a personal rather than a

property crime. Some of these burglaries measured by the

survey may fall under the broad definition of home invasion.

Between 2003 and 2007—

• A household member was home in 28% of the 3.7 million 

average annual burglaries that occurred between 2003 and 

2007 (table 1). 

• In nonviolent burglaries, household members knew the 

offender in 30% of the burglaries taking place while someone was home; the offender was a stranger in 24%. The 

identity of the offender was unknown in 46% of burglaries.

• On average, household members became victims of violent 

crimes in about 266,560 burglaries annually. Offenders 

known to their victims accounted for 65% of these burglaries; strangers accounted for 28%. 

Because the NCVS does not determine offender motivation for

entering an occupied household, the survey cannot address the

more stringent application of the term “home invasion” that

includes offender intent. Additionally, the NCVS does not

distinguish between a household member who is present when

the offender gains entry and one who arrived home

unexpectedly while the burglary was in progress. 

Figure 2. 
September 2010 3

Rate Percent

Percent of violent household burglary

Findings include household characteristics 

of burglaries of both occupied and 

unoccupied residences 

The findings on household burglary in this

report are presented in three parts. Household

characteristics of burglaries of both occupied

(household member present) and unoccupied

(household member not present) residences are

examined in Tables 1 through 4. Burglary

characteristics of occupied households, such as

method of entry and type of damage, are

examined in Tables 5 through 14. Characteristics

of violence during household burglaries that took

place while someone was home are examined in

Tables 15 through 20.

Violence during household burglaries 

remained stable from 2000 to 2007

Between 2000 and 2007 the rate of household

burglary of unoccupied households declined from

25.8 to 21.2 victimizations per 1,000 households

(figure 2). In contrast, the rate of household

burglary when someone was home remained

stable between 2000 (8.5 per 1,000 households)

and 2007 (8.3 per 1,000 households. The

percentage of these burglaries that included

violence remained stable between 2000 (6.3%) and

2005 (5.7%). Between 2005 and 2007, however,

there is some indication of an increase in the

percentage of violent burglaries from 5.7% to 7.7%.

Households composed of single females 

with children had the highest rates of 

burglary while someone was present 

Households composed of married couples

without children experienced the lowest rates of

both types of burglary—when no one was home

(14 per 1,000 households) and while a household

member was present (4 per 1,000 households)

(table 2). Households composed of single males

were more likely than those composed of single

females to experience a burglary while no one

was home. However, households composed of

single males and single females were equally

likely to experience a burglary while the

residence was occupied. 

Single heads of households—male (59 per 1,000

households) and female (54 per 1,000

households)—living with children experienced

the highest rates of burglary while no household

member was present. Households composed of

single females with children had the highest rate

of burglary while someone was home (22 per

1,000 households). There was no consistent

pattern in the risk of being present during a

Table 2. 

Average annual household burglary, by household composition and head of 

household characteristics, 2003–2007

Rate per 1,000 households

Characteristics

Average annual 

number of 

households

Household member 

not present

Household 

member present

Household composition

Households without children 58,104,000 17.3 5.8

Married couples 26,018,350 13.5 3.7

Single male 14,219,630 24.6 6.9

Single female 17,866,020 17.1 8.0

Households with children 29,405,670 28.2 10.5

Two-parent 22,395,420 19.9 7.2

Single male 1,041,190 58.7 13.7

Single female 5,969,060 54.1 22.3

Othera 29,365,170 29.0 12.9

Race of head of householdb 116,874,850 23.0 8.8

White 96,089,150 21.6 8.5

Black 14,556,460 32.5 10.3

American Indian/Alaska Native 671,650 57.0 19.6

Asian Pacific Islander 4,546,100 12.6 5.2

More than one race 1,011,500 45.4 18.1

Hispanic/Latino origin head of household 116,248,780 23.0 8.8

Hispanic or Latino 12,335,710 26.4 11.9

Non-Hispanic or Latino 103,913,070 22.6 8.4

Age of head of household 116,874,850 23.0 8.8

12-19 1,085,100 58.8 26.9

20-34 26,609,020 30.2 11.2

35-49 36,445,680 32.4 12.9

50-64 29,341,680 19.9 7.0

65 or older 23,393,370 12.2 4.8

a

Includes a combination of children, adult relatives, and other adults not related to household members 

living together. The NCVS is unable to disentangle these more complex household structures involving 

common law marriages, domestic partnerships, and alternative familial living arrangements.

bHead of household is a classification defining one and only one person residing in each housing unit as 

the head. It implies that the person is either the homeowner (or in the process of buying the unit) or the 

person responsible for renting the unit. The head of household must be age 18 or older with two exceptions: all household members are under age 18 or the head of household is under age 18 and married to 

someone age 18 or older. 

Figure 2.

Household burglary, 2000-2007

*See Criminal Victimization, 2006—Technical Notes, BJS Web, 12 December 2007.
4 Victimization During Household Burglary

burglary between households composed of

single males with children and other household

compositions.

Residences with an American Indian or 

Alaska Native head of household 

experienced higher rates of burglary 

Households having an American Indian or

Alaska Native head of household (57 per 1,000

households) experienced higher rates of burglary

when no one was home than any other race. 

A slightly different pattern in the likelihood of

experiencing a burglary was observed for

households victimized while occupied.

Residences having an American Indian, Alaska

Native, or a person of more than one race as the

head of household were equally likely to be home

during a burglary. 

Households with a white head of household were

somewhat less likely than those with a black

head of household to experience a burglary

while a household member was present. Asian

and Pacific Islander head of households were the

least likely to be present during a burglary.

Households with a head of household ages 

12 to 19 had the highest rates of burglary; 

ages 65 or older had the lowest rates

Burglary rates declined for households with

heads of households in older age groups.

Households with a head of household age 65 or

older had the lowest rates of burglary—12 per

1,000 households while no one was home and 5

per 1,000 households while the residence was

occupied. Households with a head of household

age 12 to 19 had the highest rates of

burglary—59 per 1,000 households when no one

was present and 27 per 1,000 households while

the residence was occupied. 

Higher income households experienced 

lower rates of burglary

Rates of household burglary were generally

lower for higher income households than lower

income households (table 3). 

Across all categories, the risk of burglary was

higher for households living in rental properties.

Households living in rental properties

experienced higher rates of burglary when no

one was home and while the residence was

occupied than those who owned or were in the

process of buying their homes. 

Table 4. 

Average annual household burglary, by type of housing and number of units in 

the structure, 2003–2007 

Average annual 

number of households

Rate per 1,000 households

Housing structure

Household member 

not present

Household member 

present

Type of housing

House or apartment 110,403,770 22.1 8.5

Hotel, motel, or rooming 

house 127,160 36.5 ^ 3.1^

Mobile home 5,656,090 32.4 11.1

Student quarters 453,450 4.3 1.3 ^

Other unitsa 234,380 3.6 2.9

Number of unitsb

1 79,766,660 22.1 7.9

2 5,638,510 31.3 13.0

3 1,602,980 26.0 15.8

4 3,462,380 28.7 13.5

5-9 5,950,620 25.1 10.4

10 or more 14,415,580 19.7 8.3

Group quarters unit 408,570 41.4 29.3

^Based on 10 or fewer sample cases.

a

Includes residences that are temporarily unoccupied, quarters that are not a house such as a condo or 

duplex, temporary living quarters, and general quarters.

bA housing unit is a group of rooms or a single room occupied as separate living quarters or intended 

for occupancy as separate living quarters. To be considered separate living quarters, the occupant must 

live and eat separately from all other persons on the property and have direct access to their living quarters from the outside or through a common hall or lobby.

Table 3. 

Average annual household burglary, by household income and ownership, 

2003–2007

Rate per 1,000 households

Characteristics

Average annual 

number of 

households

Household member 

not present

Household member 

present

Household income

Less than $7,500 4,992,420 47.2 18.5

$7,500 to $14,999 8,294,260 34.3 15.9

$15,000 to $24,999 11,407,660 29.4 11.7

$25,000 to $34,999 11,074,270 23.8 10.0

$35,000 to $49,999 14,045,700 23.9 9.0

$50,000 to $74,999 15,364,730 18.6 7.0

$75,000 or more 21,336,190 16.8 5.7

Home ownership

Own 80,230,680 18.9 6.7

Rent 35,012,820 33.5 13.9
September 2010 5

Single-unit housing and housing with 10 or 

more units were least likely to be 

burglarized while someone was home

Household members living in mobile homes (32

per 1,000 households) were more likely than

those living in any other type of housing to

experience a burglary while no one was home,

with one exception—hotels, motels, and

rooming houses. Households living in mobile

homes were equally likely as those staying in a

hotel, motel, or rooming house to experience a

burglary while no one was present (table 4). 

Households residing in houses or apartment

complexes (9 per 1,000 households) were

somewhat less likely than those living in mobile

homes (11 per 1,000 households) to be

burglarized while someone was home. 

There was no consistent pattern in the risk of

experiencing a burglary when no one was home

by the number of units in a housing structure.

However, a pattern was observed when a

household member was home. Households

residing in single-family units and households

residing in higher density structures consisting

of 10 or more units (8 per 1,000 households)

generally had lower rates of household burglary

while a household member was present.

Damaging or removing a door was the 

most common type of entry in forcible and 

attempted forcible entry burglaries 

Removing or damaging a window screen during

a forcible entry was equally likely to occur

whether the residence was occupied (11%) or

unoccupied (9%) (table 5). In comparison,

tampering with a door handle was less likely to

occur while a household member was present

(20%) than when no one was home (26%).

Attempted forcible entry burglaries differed

somewhat from forcible burglaries. Damaging or

removing window screens were an equally likely

method of an attempted entry by an offender to

occupied (22%) or unoccupied (18%) residences

(table 6). However, burglars were more likely to

attempt to enter a household by tampering with

door handles or locks when household members

were not in the residence (30%) than while the

residence was occupied (19%).

Table 5. 

Method of entry and type of damage in completed household burglary involving 

forcible entry, 2003–2007 

Household member not present Household member present

Method of entry and

type of damage

Average annual 

number Percent

Average annual 

number Percent

Window 462,430 48.8 % 80,670 47.0 %

Pane damaged or removed 284,340 30.0 47,360 27.6

Screen damaged or removed 83,250 8.8 19,380 11.3

Lock damaged or unlocked 71,720 7.6 9,780 5.7

Other damage* 23,120 2.4 4,150 2.4 ^

Door 696,290 73.4 % 120,800 70.4 %

Damaged or removed 412,860 43.5 76,050 44.3

Screen damaged or removed 15,800 1.7 6,970 4.1

Handle/lock removed or

tampered 242,660 25.6 33,700 19.6

Other damage* 24,970 2.6 4,080 2.4 ^

Other entry* 13,060 1.4 % 4,420 2.6 %^

Note: Forcible entry is a completed burglary in which force, such as breaking a window or slashing a 

door screen, is used to gain entry to a residence. Percentages will not add to 100 because households 

may report more than one type of damage.

^Based on 10 or fewer sample cases.

*Other unspecified entry or damage.

Table 6. 

Method of entry and type of damage in attempted household burglary involving 

forcible entry, 2003–2007 

Household member not present Household member present

Method of entry and 

type of damage

Average annual 

number Percent

Average annual 

number Percent

Window 187,800 44.1 % 105,550 56.1 %

Pane damaged, broken, 

removed, or cracked 85,920 20.2 46,650 24.8

Screen damaged or 

removed 75,440 17.7 40,460 21.5

Lock damaged or 

tampered 17,090 4.0 7,940 4.2

Other damage* 9,350 2.2 10,500 5.6

Door 316,890 74.5 % 108,080 57.5 %

Damaged or removed 159,810 37.6 56,270 29.9

Screen damaged or 

removed 16,450 3.9 9,570 5.1

Handle/lock removed or 

tampered 125,550 29.5 35,340 18.8

Other damage* 15,080 3.5 6,900 3.7

Other entry* 5,100 1.2 %^ 3,340 1.8 %^

Note: Attempted forcible entry is a burglary in which force was used in an unsuccessful attempt to 

gain entry to a residence. Percentages will not add to 100 because households may report more than 

one type of damage.

^Based on 10 or fewer sample cases.

*Other unspecified entry or damage.
6 Victimization During Household Burglary

Table 7. 

Method of entry in household burglary involving unlawful entry, by presence of 

household member, 2003–2007 

Household member not present Household member present

Method of entry

Average annual 

number Percent

Average annual 

number Percent

Total 1,217,030 100.0 % 623,520 100.0 %

Someone let the offender in 19,960 1.6 % 109,810 17.6 %

Offender pushed way inside 2,750 0.2 ^ 73,790 11.8

Open door or window 209,430 17.2 168,560 27.0

Unlocked door or window 481,230 39.5 174,760 28.0

Had key 95,740 7.9 22,490 3.6

Picked lock or window 49,600 4.1 14,020 2.2

Unknown means through 

locked door or window 64,340 5.3 10,720 1.7

By other means 260,870 21.4 38,890 6.2

Don't know 33,110 2.7 10,480 1.7

Note: Unlawful entry is a completed burglary committed by someone having no legal right to be on the 

premises even though no force was used to gain entry. An offender may gain access to a residence when 

household members are not present by being let in by an individual not living in the household, such as 

a visiting guest, housekeeper, or repair person. Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding. 

^Based on 10 or fewer sample cases.

Offenders used an open door or window to 

gain unlawful entry in 17% of unoccupied 

residences

In 40% of unlawful entries to unoccupied

residences, offenders gained access through an

unlocked door or window (table 7). A smaller

percentage (5%) of unlawful entries while no one

was home was through a locked door or window

by unknown means; 8% of offenders used a key

to the residence to gain access. 

For households occupied at the time of the

burglary, offenders were equally likely to gain

unlawful entry through an open (27%) or

unlocked (28%) door or window. Respondents in

18% of burglaries of occupied residences stated

that someone inside the home let the offender in;

12% stated that someone inside opened the door

and the offender pushed their way in. Nearly 4%

stated that the offender had a key to the

residence and used the key to gain access. 

Household members were at work during a 

quarter of burglaries that took place while 

no one was home

In households in which no one was home about

a quarter stated that household members were at

work when the burglary occurred (table 8). A

similar percentage (23%) of households were

away from their residences and engaged in

leisure activities when the burglary took place. 

Victims in 38% of households burglarized while

someone was home were asleep at the time of the

burglary while 44% of households stated that

household members were engaged in other

activities in the home when the offender gained

entry to the residence.

Households burglaries that occurred when no

one was home were more likely to occur between

the daytime hours of 6 am and 6 pm (43%) than

between the hours of 6 pm to 6 am (26%) (table

9). Conversely, a household member was more

likely to be present during a nighttime burglary

(61%) than during one that occurred between

the daytime hours of 6 am and 6 pm (33%). 

Table 8. 

Victim activity during household burglaries, by presence of household member, 

2003–2007 

Household member not present Household member present

Type of activity

Average annual 

number Percent

Average annual 

number Percent

Total 2,612,060 100.0 % 1,024,230 100.0 %

Working or on duty 656,180 25.1 % 38,470 3.8 %

On the way to or from work 38,460 1.5 14,160 1.4

On the way to or from school 36,840 1.4 1,630 0.2

On the way to or from other 

place 53,990 2.1 9,000 0.9

Shopping/errands 176,280 6.7 16,980 1.7

Attending school 39,860 1.5 1,560 0.2

Leisure activity away from 

home 607,640 23.3 48,120 4.7

Sleeping 144,370 5.5 389,880 38.1

Activities at home 80,190 3.1 450,910 44.0

Other activity* 167,380 6.4 26,590 2.6

Don't know 610,870 23.4 26,920 2.6

Note: Respondents may report at home activities when someone other than a household member is in 

the residence at the time of the burglary. Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding. 

*The other activity category is specified when it is not clear what the respondent was doing or where the 

respondent was at the time of the victimization. Examples include the respondent was in the hospital or 

taking care of a sick friend.

Table 9. 

Time of occurrence of household burglaries, by presence of household member, 

2003–2007

Household member not present Household member present

Time of day

Average annual 

number Percent

Average annual 

number Percent

Total 2,683,270 100.0 % 1,021,430 100.0 %

Daytime (6 am - 6 pm) 1,159,450 43.2 % 336,340 32.9 %

Nighttime (6 pm - 6 am) 697,940 26.0 626,150 61.3

Don't know time of day 825,880 30.8 58,940 5.8
September 2010 7

With the exception cash, items were more 

likely to be stolen when residents were not 

home at the time of a burglary

Purses, wallets, credit cards (29%), electronics

(33%), and personal items (31%) made up a

larger percentage of items stolen curing a

burglary that occurred when no one was home

compared to burglaries that took place when a

household member was present (table 10).

Firearms were stolen in 4% of burglaries of

unoccupied households. Cash was equally likely

to be stolen regardless of whether a household

was occupied or unoccupied during the

household burglary. Fifty-five percent of

households burglarized while a resident was

home, stated that no items were taken during the

burglary compared to 25% of households

burglarized while no one was home.

Households burglarized while no one was 

home were more likely to suffer greater 

economic losses

Households burglarized while no one was home

were more likely to suffer greater economic

losses than those burglarized while occupied

(table 11). Thirty percent of households

burglarized while no one was home had stolen

items valued at more than $1,000; 17% of

burglaries with household members present

experienced thefts of $1,000 or greater.

Households burglarized while a household

member was present were more likely to suffer

losses of less than $250, compared to other

categories.

About three-quarters of all household 

burglaries by forcible entry while no one 

was home were reported to the police 

The percentages of burglaries reported to the

police, forcible, unlawful, and attempted forcible

entry burglaries were equally likely to be

reported regardless of whether a household

member was home at the time of the burglary

(table 12). However, differences were observed

among forcible entry, unlawful entry, and

attempted forcible entry in the percentages of

burglaries by household members being present

and household members not being present. 

For households burglarized while no one was home,

forcible entry burglaries (73%) were more likely to be

reported to the police than unlawful (41%) or

attempted forcible (41%) entry burglaries. More than

three-quarters (78%) of households with members

present during a forcible burglary reported the crime,

52% reported unlawful burglary, and 62% reported

attempted forcible entry. These differences were not

statistically significant.

Table 11. 

Economic loss in household burglaries where property was stolen, 2003-2007 

Household member not present Household member present

Property value

Average annual 

number Percent

Average annual 

number Percent

Total 2,011,130 100.0 % 459,230 100.0 %

No property loss 20,700 1.0 % 6,690 1.5 %

Less than $10 26,520 1.3 8,720 1.9

$10 to $49 145,130 7.2 53,720 11.7

$50 to $249 496,530 24.7 140,610 30.6

$250 to $999 535,110 26.6 114,370 24.9

$1,000 or more 601,860 29.9 79,570 17.3.

Monetary value not Known 185,280 9.2 55,540 12.1

Note: Includes cash and non-cash property. Households may report both cash and non-cash losses. 

Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding.

Table 10. 

Type of items taken, 2003–2007 

Household member not present Household member present

Type of item

Average annual 

number Percent

Average annual 

number Percent

No items taken 676,360 25.2 % 566,300 55.2 %

Cash 147,410 5.5 58,590 5.7

Purse, wallet, credit cards 774,610 28.8 106,700 10.4

Electronics 876,650 32.6 131,460 12.8

Jewelry, watches, keys 355,430 13.2 54,080 5.3

Personal itemsa 823,890 30.7 164,190 16.0

Household itemsb 597,890 22.2 86,340 8.4

Firearms 94,960 3.5 7,630 0.7

Food/liquor 92,460 3.4 14,330 1.4

Other items taken 178,260 6.6 31,770 3.1

Note: Totals may exceed 100% because households may report more than one item stolen. 

a

Includes stamps, coin collections, recreational equipment, clothing, luggage, bicycles or bicycle parts, 

and animals or livestock.

bIncludes silver, china, tools, machinery, and farm or garden produce.

Table 12. 

Household burglary reported to police, by type of entry, 2003–2007 

Percent of household burglaries while—

Type of burglary Member not present Member present

All burglary 52.4 % 58.6 %

Completed burglary 54.5 % 57.8 %

Forcible entry 73.1 78.2

Unlawful entry 40.8 52.2

Attempted forcible entry 40.8 % 62.2 %
8 Victimization During Household Burglary

For households burglarized while residents were

not present, the most common reasons for not

reporting the victimization to the police were

that the burglary was considered a minor crime

(30%), the resident could not identify the

offender or the resident lacked proof (18%), the

police would not bother investigating the crime

(15%), or that the crime was discovered too late

(10%) (table 13).

Offenders were known to their victims in a 

third of households burglarized when a 

household member was present

Offenders were known to their victims in about a

third of the 1 million average annual burglaries

from 2003 to 2007 that took place with a

household member present (table 14). About a

quarter of households with a member present

during a completed rather than an attempted

burglary stated that the offender was a stranger;

42% stated that the offender was unknown.

Households were less likely to know the offender

in attempted forcible entry burglaries. The

offender was known to household members in

about 13% of households that experienced an

attempted forcible entry; the relationship to the

offender was unknown in 62% of these entries. 

Violence during the course of a burglary 

may be examined by two different means 

The general risk of violence may be examined as

a percentage of all household burglaries of

residences that were occupied (household

member present) and unoccupied (household

member not present) during the burglary. The

specific risk of violence may be examined as a

percentage of the number of burglaries with a

household member present during the course of

the burglary (see Methodology).

Table 14. 

Household burglary of occupied residences, by victim-offender relationship, 

2003–2007

Type of burglary

Relationship All burglary Completeda Attempted forcible entry

Total 1,025,520 824,320 201,200

Offender known to the victim 29.5 % 33.5 % 13.1 %

Intimates (current or former) 10.6 11.9 5.0

Relatives/known 

acquaintances 18.9 21.6 8.0

Strangers 24.2 24.1 24.5

Unknown offenderb 46.3 42.4 62.4

Note: Totals may exceed 100% because estimates include multiple offenders. Percentages are calculated 

as the number of households victimized by each victim offender category divided by the number of 

households burglaries in which someone was present.

a

Includes forcible entry and unlawful entry without force.

bSurvey respondents may not have been able to provide information on the offender because the 

respondents were not the household members present during the burglary, or the respondents may not 

have been able to see the offender clearly because of dim lighting (darkness), concealed identity, or other 

reasons.

Table 13. 

Reasons for not reporting household burglary to police, by presence of 

household member, 2003–2007

Percent of reasons for not reporting when—

Reason Member not present Member present

Not important enough to report

Minor crime 29.5 28.6

Not clear a crime occurred 4.4 5.9

Inconvenient 5.3 4.5

Private or personal matter 7.5 17.6

Police could not help

Could not identify offender/lack of proof 17.9 14.6

No insurance, loss less than deductible 4.3 3.1

Could not recover or identify property 8.5 4.1

Police would not help

Police ineffectiveness 6.8 4.6

Police biased 1.5 2.6

Police would not bother 14.6 13.1

Crime was discovered too late 10.1 6.4

Reasons related to the offender

Child offender 1.8 2.7

Protect offender 2.3 4.5

Afraid of reprisal 0.9 6.1

Offender was a police officer 0.1 ^ --

Other reasons

Don't know why I did not report it 1.5 1.4

Other reason given 0.1 ^ 0.3 ^

Other reason not listed 11.5 12.1

Total not reported 1,181,990 396,170

Note: Percent may exceed 100% because households may report more than one reason for not reporting 

to the police.

--No cases were present for this category.

^Based on 10 or fewer sample cases. Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding.
September 2010 9

An assault occurred in 5% off all household 

burglaries 

In 7% of all household burglaries, someone was

home at the time and experienced a violent

victimization (figure 1, table 15). This translates

to about 266,560 household burglaries out of

about 3.7 million taking place each year on

average. 

Simple assault (15%) was the most 

common form of violence during a completed burglary when a resident was home 

A household member was present in roughly 1

million burglaries from 2003 to 2007. Of these

households, 26% (or 266,560) experienced some

form of a violent victimization during the

burglary (figure 1, table 16).

The type of violence against household members

present at the time of a burglary varied by

burglary category. Simple assault was the most

common form of violence experienced by

household members present during completed

(15%) and attempted (6%) burglaries. Robbery

was more likely to occur when a burglary was

completed rather than attempted. A robbery

occurred in 7% of completed burglaries,

compared to 1% of attempted forcible entries. An

aggravated assault against a household member

was equally likely to occur during a completed or

an attempted burglary. A rape or sexual assault

occurred in about 3% of households

experiencing a completed burglary.

Residents present during a burglary were 

equally likely to be victimized by an 

intimate partner (current or former) as 

they were by a stranger

One or more household members knew the

offenders in some manner in 65% of the 266,560

burglaries that took place while someone was

present and experienced violence (table 17).

Overall, household members knew

approximately a third of these offenders as

intimates (current or former) (31%), or relatives,

Table 16. 

Type of violence that occurred during household burglaries when someone was 

home, by type of burglary, 2003–2007 

Type of burglary

Type of violence All burglary Completed* Attempted forcible entry

Total 26.0 % 29.7 % 10.6 %

Rape/sexual assault 2.2 % 2.7 % -- %

Robbery 5.8 % 7.0 % 0.9 %

Assault 18.0 % 20.0 % 9.7 %

Aggravated assault 4.6 4.9 3.4

Simple assault 13.3 15.1 6.3

Total average annual number of 

burglaries of occupied residences 1,025,520 824,320 201,200

Note: Percentages are calculated as the number of households that experienced a violent crime divided 

by the number of burglaries in which households were occupied.

--No cases were present for this category.

*Includes forcible entry and unlawful entry without force.

Table 15. 

Type of violence that occurred during household burglaries, by type of burglary, 

2003–2007 

Type and percent of burglaries

Type of violence All burglary Completed* Attempted forcible entry

Total 7.2 % 8.0 % 3.4 %

Rape/sexual assault 0.6 % 0.7 % -- %

Robbery 1.6 % 1.9 % 0.3 %

Assault 5.0 % 5.3 % 3.1 %

Aggravated assault 1.3 1.3 1.1

Simple assault 3.7 4.0 2.0

Average annual number of 

burglaries 3,713,000 3,083,750 629,250

Note: Estimates may not add to total due to rounding. Percentages are calculated as the number of 

households in which someone experienced a violent crime during a household burglary divided by 

the number of household burglaries.

--No cases were present for this category.

*Includes forcible entry and unlawful entry without force.

Table 17. 

Victim-offender relationship in violent household burglary, 2003–2007

Type of burglary

Relationship All burglary Completeda Attempted forcible entry

Victim knew offender 65.1 % 66.2 % 51.7 %

Intimates (current or former) 31.1 31.5 26.3

Relatives/known acquaintances 34.0 34.7 25.5

Strangers 27.5 26.5 39.7

Unknown offenderb 7.4 7.3 8.5

Total average number of burglaries 

where someone experienced violence 266,560 245,180 21,380

Note: Percentages are calculated as the number of households victimized by each victim offender 

relationship category divided by the number of violent household burglaries.

a

Includes forcible entry and unlawful entry without force.

bSurvey respondents may not have been able to provide information on the offender because the 

respondents were not the household members present during the burglary.
10 Victimization During Household Burglary

well-known individuals, or household

acquaintances (34%). A stranger perpetrated the

violence in 28% of households burglarized while

someone was home and violence occurred. 

Findings for completed burglaries were similar

to those for all burglaries. Household members

knew offenders in some manner in two-thirds of

completed burglaries involving violence. Despite

the apparent differences between victimoffender relationships, when violence occurred

during a completed household burglary,

individuals present were equally likely to be

victimized by an intimate partner (current or

former) (32%) as they were by a stranger (27%).

Victims in violent burglaries were equally likely

to report knowing the offender in some manner

in an attempted forcible burglary as they were to

report the offender as a stranger. 

Thirty percent of individuals experiencing 

violence during a completed burglary faced 

an armed offender

Overall, 61% of offenders were unarmed when

burglarizing a home while residents were present

and violence occurred (table 18). Household

members faced an offender with a firearm in

about 12% of all households burglarized while

someone was home and violence occurred. 

Household members present during a completed

burglary were less likely to face an armed

offender (30%) than an unarmed offender

(63%). Those present and violently victimized

during an attempted forcible entry were equally

likely to face an armed or an unarmed offender

(38%). Offenders were armed with a firearm in

23% of burglaries in households (73,000 on

average) burglarized by a stranger where

violence occurred (table 19).

Table 18. 

Presence of weapon in violent household burglary, by type of burglary, 

2003–2007 

Type of burglary

Type of weapon All burglary Completed* Attempted forcible entry

No weapon present 60.5 % 62.6 % 37.6 %

Weapon present 30.1 % 29.5 % 37.7 %

Firearm 12.4 12.5 10.8 ^

Sharp weapon 10.6 10.1 16.3 ^

Other weapon type 7.2 6.8 ^ 10.6 ^

Do not know if offender had weapon 9.3 % 8.0 % 24.7 %^

Total average number of burglaries where 

someone experienced violence 266,560 245,180 21,380

^Based on 10 or fewer sample cases.

*Includes forcible entry and unlawful entry without force.

Table 20. 

Injury in violent household burglary, by type of burglary, 2003–2007 

Type of burglary

Type of injury All burglary Completed* Attempted forcible entry

Not injured 55.7 % 52.5 % 92.3 %

Injured 44.3 % 47.5 % 7.7 %

Serious injury 8.5 9.2 --

Minor injury 33.4 35.6 7.7 ^

Rape/sexual assault without other 

injuries 2.4 ^ 2.6 ^ --

Total 266,160 244,780 21,380

--No cases were present for this category.

^Based on 10 or fewer sample cases.

*Includes forcible entry and unlawful entry without force.

Table 19. 

Presence of weapons in violent household burglary committed by a stranger, by 

type of burglary, 2003–2007

Type of burglary

Type of weapon All burglary Completed* Attempted forcible entry

No weapon present 40.2 % 40.2 % 40.2 %

Weapon present 45.5 % 46.6 % 37.4 %^

Firearm 23.3 25.5 6.2 ^

Sharp weapon 15.8 13.8 31.2 ^

Other weapon type 6.5 * 7.3 * --

Do not know if offender had weapon 14.2 % 13.2 %* 22.3 %^

Total 73,360 64,860 8,500

^Based on 10 or fewer sample cases.

--No cases were present for this category.

*Includes forcible entry and unlawful entry without force.

Federal Bureau of 

Investigation, Supplementary 

Homicide Reports, 

2003-2007

According to the FBI’s Supplementar y

Homicide Reports, 430 burglary-related

homicides occurred between 2003 and 2007

on average annually. This number translates

to less than 1% of all homicides during that

period.

Between 2003 and 2007, approximately 2.1

million household burglaries were reported to

the FBI each year on average. Household

burglaries ending in homicide made up

0.004% of all burglaries during that period.
September 2010 11

Household members were injured in 

almost half of all completed burglaries 

involving violence

Household members were more likely to be

injured during a completed burglary (48%) than

an attempted forcible entry burglary (8%) when

a household member was present and violence

occurred (table 20). Serious injury accounted for

9% and minor injury accounted for 36% of

injuries sustained by household members who

were home and experienced a violent crime

during a completed burglary. Most household

members who were present during a violent

burglary (92%) were not injured. 

Methodology

Data sources

The National Crime Victimization Survey

(NCVS) gathers data on crimes against persons

ages 12 or older and their households, reported

and not reported to the police, from a nationally

representative sample of U.S. households. The

survey provides information about victims (age,

gender, race, Hispanic origin, marital status,

income, and education level), offenders

(genders, race, approximate age, and victimoffender relationship), and the nature of the

crime (time and place of occurrence, use of

weapons, nature of injury, and economic

consequences). Between 2003 and 2007, 40,320

households were interviewed annually on

average with a 91% household response rate.

Except for data on homicides, all estimates

presented in this report were generated from the

NCVS. For more information on NCVS

Methodology, see the Methodology section of

Criminal Victimization Statistical Tables on the

BJS Web site. Homicide data are from the

Supplementary Homicide Reports (SHR) to the

Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR),

which are collected by the Federal Bureau of

Investigation (FBI). 

Definition of household burglary in the NCVS

The legal definition for “household burglary”

may vary among jurisdictions. For the NCVS,

household burglary is defined as the entry or

attempted entry to a residence or adjacent

structure when a person has no right to be there.

This crime usually, but not always, involves theft. 

Forcible entry is a completed burglary in which

force, such as breaking a window or slashing a

door screen, was used to gain entry to the

residence. Unlawful entry is a completed

burglary committed by someone having no legal

right to be on the premises even though no force

was used to gain entry. Attempted forcible entry

is a burglary in which force was used in an

unsuccessful attempt to gain entry.

Missing data in the National Crime 

Victimization Survey

As with any data collection, in the NCVS missing

data vary by survey item. The impact of missing

data depends on the specific survey item under

examination. In Victimization During Household

Burglary, there was no missing data associated

with any of the burglary or violent crime

estimates that occurred when residents were

present in the household. In contrast, the

variable 'Household Income' is consistently

characterized by high levels of missing data due

to reluctance on the part of survey respondents

to disclose their income. In this report, 22% of

income data was missing for households

victimized while no one was home and 20% for

households that were victimized while someone

was present in the household. 

Appendix Table 1. 

Standard errors and confidence intervals for key estimates in victimization during household 

burglary.

95%-confidence interval

Characteristic Estimate One standard error Lower Upper

Household member present 27.6 % 1.72 % 24.23 % 30.97 %

Percent violent of all household burglary 7.2 0.94 5.37 9.03

Percent violent of occupied household burglary 26.0 2.98 20.17 31.83

Note: Standard errors were calculated using programs developed by the Census Bureau to calculate NCVS general variance 

parameters.
12 Victimization During Household Burglary

This report, Victimization During Household

Burglary, differs from other NCVS reports in

that a different coding approach was constructed

to combine burglaries where a household

member was present and experienced a violent

crime with burglaries that took place while no

one was home. Presenting the analyses in this

manner allows for a comparison of the

characteristics of present and non-present

burglaries and the examination of the cooccurrence of a resident’s presence and

subsequent victimization. As a result, estimates

presented in this report are not comparable to

victimization estimates of burglary or personal

crime contained in other NCVS reports. This

approach was used previously in Household

Burglary, 1985 (NCJ 96021).

Household member is defined as a household

member if the individual is using the sample

address as his or her usual place of residence at

the time of the interview or is staying

temporarily at the sample address at the time of

the interview and does not have a usual place of

residence elsewhere.

Household burglary with household member not

present is defined as any household burglary (as

classified in this report) that is committed while

a residence is not occupied by any household

members.

Household burglary with a household member

present is defined as any household burglary

committed while one or more household

members are present in the household.

Violent household burglary is defined as any

household burglary committed while one or

more household members are present and

violence occurs between the offender and

household members.

General and specific risk

The estimates of risk in this report use measures

that may include multiple victimizations per

household, and as such do not represent a true

risk measure based on the prevalence of

victimizations in the population. However, the

two estimates are close.

For example, in 2005, approximately 2.5% of

households experienced a household burglary

victimization (http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/

pub/pdf/cnh05.pdf) while the current report

estimates a rate of 3.2 household burglaries per

100 households (32 per 1,000 households),

including ones in which violence occurred.

Standard error computations

Comparisons of percentages and rates were

tested to determine if observed differences were

statistically significant. Differences described as

higher, lower, or different passed a test at the 0.05

level of statistical significance (95%-confidence

level). Differences described as somewhat,

lightly, or marginally passed a test at the 0.10

level of statistical significance (90%-confidence

level). Caution is required when comparing

estimates not explicitly discussed in the report.

Estimates based on 10 or fewer cases have high

relative standard errors. Care should be taken

when comparing these estimates to other

estimates, especially when both are based on 10

or fewer sample cases.
U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Washington, DC 20531

Official Business

Penalty for Private Use $300

PRESORTED STANDARD

POSTAGE & FEES PAID

DOJ/BJS

Permit No. G-91

*NCJ~227379*

13 Victimization During Household Burglary

The Bureau of Justice Statistics is the statistical agency of 

the U.S. Department of Justice. James P. Lynch is director.

This Special Report was written by Shannan Catalano, 

Ph.D. Alexia Cooper verified the report.

Georgette Walsh and Jill Duncan edited the report, Tina 

Dorsey produced the report, and Jayne Robinson prepared 

the report for final printing under the supervision of Doris 

J. James.

September 2010, NCJ 227379

This report in portable document format and in ASCII and its 

related statistical data and tables are available at the BJS World 

Wide Web Internet site: <http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/

index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=2172>.

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