Yesterday, the FBI today released the 2017 edition of its Crime in the United States (CIUS) report, which covers January to December 2017. It reflects that after two consecutive, historic increases in violent crime, the nationwide violent crime rate began to decline. Violent crimes are defined by the FBI as those offenses that involve force or threat of force and include murder and non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. The report estimates that the nationwide violent crime rate decreased by approximately one percent in 2017, while the nationwide homicide rate decreased by nearly one and a half percent. The CIUS report also looks at property crime, which includes burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. Similar to its estimates of violent crime, the FBI also found that the level of property crime decreased, by three percent. FBI.