Nearly one-third of U.S. households (29 percent) contain a family member victimized by violent crime in the last year, according to Gallup.
The survey reveals that Americans’ “direct experience” with crime is at a 16-year high.
Seventeen percent said they or someone in their home had money or property stolen, while 14 percent said they had property, including their home or vehicle, vandalized. Another five percent said they had their car broken into and four percent said they or someone in their household had a car stolen from them.
Three percent said someone in their household was assaulted or mugged; two percent said a member of their household was a victim of armed robbery; one percent cited sexual assault.
Gallup tracked digital crimes separately, and found 27 percent said they or someone in their household has credit card information stolen, up from 22 percent in 2015. Identity theft has risen dramatically: 17 percent said they or someone in their home was a victim, a sharp increase from eight percent in 2009.
All told, 29 percent said they or a household member suffered from vandalism, robbery, or another violent crime in the past year—compared to 22 percent in 2001.
The poll comes a couple months after the FBI released 2015 crime statistics, which revealed a staggering 11 percent increase in murders and nearly four percent increase in violent crime, which includes murder, non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, plus aggravated assault.
But, Gallup adds, “while crime was not at the top of the candidates’ or voters’ agenda in the 2016 presidential campaign, the issue may be ripe for policymakers at all levels of government to address.”
This places President-elect Donald Trump, the GOP-controlled Congress, and Republican state governments across the country in a position to propose policies that will bring their constituents relief.
Trump hammered a “law and order” theme on the campaign trail, promising to curb crime afflicting American communities.
“We will be a country of generosity and warmth. But we will also be a country of law and order,” Trump said as he accepted the Republican party’s presidential nomination.
“I will work with, and appoint, the best prosecutors and law enforcement officials in the country to get the job done. In this race for the White House, I am the Law And Order candidate. The irresponsible rhetoric of our president, who has used the pulpit of the presidency to divide us by race and color, has made America a more dangerous environment for everyone,” he said. “This administration has failed America’s inner cities. It’s failed them on education. It’s failed them on jobs. It’s failed them on crime. It’s failed them at every level.”
Gallup questioned 1,017 adults aged 18 and older from Oct. 5 to Oct. 9. The margin of error is plus or minus four percentage points.