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Victim characteristics
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The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) provides information of characteristics of victims, including age, race, ethnicity, gender, marital status and household income. For violent crimes (rape, sexual assault, assault, and robbery) the characteristics are based upon the victim who experienced the crime.   For property crimes (household burglary, motor vehicle theft, property theft) the characteristics are based upon the household respondent who provided information about these crimes for the household. Property crimes are defined as affecting the entire household. 

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Terms & Definitions

Age category The appropriate age category is determined by the respondent's age on the last day of the month preceding the interview.
 
Annual household income The total household income for the 12 months preceding the interview. Includes wages, salaries, net income from businesses or farms, pensions, interest, dividends, rent, and any other source of monetary income of the head of household and all household members.
 
Ethnicity A classification based on Hispanic culture and origin, regardless of race. Persons are asked directly if they are Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino before being asked about their racial category.
 
Hispanic A person who describes himself as Mexican American, Chicano, Mexican, Mexicano, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central American, South American, or from some other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
 
Marital status Every person is assigned to one of the following classifications: (1) married, which includes persons in common-law unions and those who are currently living apart for reasons other than marital discord (employment, military service, etc.); (2) separated or divorced, which includes married persons who are legally separated and those who are not living together because of marital discord; (3) widowed; and (4) never married, which includes persons whose marriages have been annulled and those who are living together and not in a common-law union.
 
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