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Ensuring the Quality, Credibility, and Relevance of U.S. Justice Statistics (2009) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix A: Findings and Recommendations
Pages 325-332

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From page 325...
... This focus on certain forms of violent and property crime does not account for important or emerging types of crime -- notably, many forms of white-collar crime such as corporate fraud, health care fraud, financial institution fraud, money laundering, government fraud, consumer fraud, public corruption, and Internet crimes. The broad area of civil justice proceedings -- distinct from criminal justice -- is represented by one principal data series in BJS's extensive portfolio, and is limited by its construction to cover only completed court cases (and not out-of-court settlements)
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From page 326...
... BJS should strive to function as a clearinghouse of justice-related statistical information, including reference to data not directly collected by BJS. Recommendation 2.2: In line with its original charge and to better document and understand the contribution of juveniles to street crime and violence, the victimization of youth, and the consequences for youth and society of their victimization and offending, BJS should develop juvenile victimization, crime, and justice statistical series suitable for describing the patterns of offending and victimization of youth, longitudinal progression of youth through the juvenile and criminal justice systems, and reentry into the community and criminal system.
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From page 327...
... Instead, the impression left is that these "censuses" are sporadic inventories or catalogs of particular agency types with no obvious internal consistency. Recommendation 3.9: To maximize both utility and timeliness of information, the LEMAS survey should be conducted as core-supplement design in the context of a continuous data collection.
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From page 328...
... program has cultivated a strong federal-state relationship, relative to other federal statistical agencies. Development of the SAC network -- which provides points of contact across the justice system to facilitate research on individual data series, dissemination of BJS information, and coordination of activities -- has involved forging unique relationships adapted to state environments (for instance, whether the SAC is part of a state law enforcement department or is housed at a university)
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From page 329...
... Analysis of the National Instant Background Check System serves as one approach to provide the data necessary to evaluate national policy on regulation of firearms purchases. Recommendation 4.3: BJS should actively utilize the NCHIP program to improve criminal history records necessary for longitudinal studies of crime.
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From page 330...
... Recommendation 5.8: BJS should establish an Advisory Group under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to provide guidance to BJS on the addition of new data collection efforts and the modification of current ones in light of needs identified by the group. Membership in the group should include, at a minimum, leaders and practitioners from each of the major subject matters covered by BJS data, as well as those with statistical and other types of academic expertise in these subject matters.
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From page 331...
... , BJS should work with correctional agencies to develop their own internal records to promote consistent data collections and expand coverage beyond the 41 states covered in the most recent NCRP. Finding 5.6: A recurring criticism of BJS data products is that their quality is highly valued but that they are not sufficiently timely to meet user needs.
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From page 332...
... Recommendation 5.15: BJS must improve the technical skills of its staff, including mathematical statisticians, computer scientists, survey methodologists, and criminologists. Finding 6.1: Relatively little is understood about how BJS data are used in developing policy and could be used in improving policy development.
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Key Terms

  • criminal justice
  • bjs data
  • law enforcement
  • justice statistics
  • correctional facilities

  • criminal history
  • data series
  • statistical agencies
  • adult correctional
  • external websites

  • statistical information
  • longitudinal basis
  • longitudinal analysis
  • correctional supervision
  • policy development

  • data products
  • subject matters
  • analysis center
  • timely estimates
  • history records

  • emerging types
  • own internal
  • state justice
  • times varying
  • state law

  • victim forward
  • longitudinal studies
  • discrete data
  • street crime
  • corrections process


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