Glossary
Aggravated assault
As the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation defines it, in the words of its Crime in the United States, 2019: offense definitions.
Official definition
The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program defines aggravated assault as an unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. The UCR Program further specifies that this type of assault is usually accompanied by the use of a weapon or by other means likely to produce death or great bodily harm. Attempted aggravated assault that involves the display of—or threat to use—a gun, knife, or other weapon is included in this crime category because serious personal injury would likely result if the assault were completed. When aggravated assault and larceny-theft occur together, the offense falls under the category of robbery.
On this site
Agencies serving 96.4% of the population reported 792,153 aggravated assault offenses to the FBI in 2025. See the figures →
Every term: the glossary. The hub: Crime.
Sources
- Crime in the United States, 2019: offense definitions — U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation · retrieved September 27, 2026
Compiled automatically from Crime in the United States, 2019: offense definitions by a checked SQL query · Editor: Kian O'Connor · How this site is built
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