Assault, Simple

Abstract

Simple assault is a form of interpersonal violence that involves the use of force to inflict injury or the threat of force to cause harm. The incidence of simple assault is reported in the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which is an annual survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of the U.S. Department of justice. The NCVS collects information on the crime experiences of persons, whether or not they report the incident to the police. The NCVS distinguishes simple assault from aggravated assault based on two criteria: (1) the use of deadly force, and (2) the seriousness of the injury. Hence, simple assault is an incident in which the attack did not involve the use of a weapon or in any other way was the attack considered deadly; and any injury incurred by the victim that required less than 2 days of hospitalization.