Index Offense Law and Legal Definition
The term ‘index offense’ refers to one of the eight classes of offense or crimes reported annually by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation in the Uniform Crime Report. An index offense is also known as an index crime. The eight classes of crimes that are reported include: murder and non-negligent homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, arson, and auto theft.
