Annex 2 Indicators of the Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative
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Detailed Descriptions
Robberies per 100,000 residents Topic:
Sub-Topic:
Security
Violence
Definition Annual number of robberies (theft with violence or threat of violence) for every 100,000 residents
Methodology “Robbery” means the theft of property from a person by overcoming resistance using force or threat of force. Where possible, the category “Robbery” should include muggings (bag-snatching) and theft with violence, but should exclude pickpocketing and extortion. Victimization surveys provide more accurate data on robbery rates than police data, since robberies are not always reported to the police. (Based on the Organization of American States Observatory on Citizen Security – Data Repository definition of robbery: http://www.oas.org/dsp/observatorio/database/indicatorsdetails.aspx?lang=en&indicator=193.)
Benchmarks Green
Yellow
Red
< 300
300–1,000
> 1,000
Rationale Violent crimes have a very significant negative impact on sustainable development. The phenomenon of crime compromises human dignity, creates a climate of fear, and erodes the quality of life. The indicator can also be used as a measure of adherence to the rule of law, a component of good governance. (Based on United Nations, Indicators of Sustainable Development: Guidelines and Methodologies, 3rd ed., 2007, p. 51.)
Other organizations or agencies that use this indicator Universidad de Chile’s Centro de Estudios en Seguridad Ciudadana suggests the use of this indicator, in “Uso de indicadores para evaluar el funcionamiento policial.” UNODC uses robbery per 100,000 population at the national level, using the number of police-recorded offenses. The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, based on participating law enforcement agency data, include robbery (number of offenses known per 100,000 inhabitants), including by city population size.
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