How is the crime rate determined according to the given information?

The determination of the crime rate involves calculating the number of reported crimes in relation to the total population. This approach allows for a standardized measure that can be compared across different communities and jurisdictions, providing a clearer understanding of the prevalence of crime relative to the size of the population. By dividing the number of crimes reported to law enforcement agencies by the total population, researchers and policymakers can express crime rates per a given number of residents, often standardized per 1,000 or 100,000 individuals. This method highlights how widespread or prevalent crime is in a particular area, considering the population's size, which is essential for effective analysis and decision-making in criminology and public safety.