Modernizing Crime Statistics: Report 2 New Systems for Measuring Crime (2018) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
1 Introduction
1 Introduction
Pages 15-24
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 15... ...
, the UCR Program has morphed into a set of data collections that operate on a principle of voluntary contribution of information from local law enforcement agencies, nearly all channeled through a network of state-level coordinating agencies, for aggregation by the FBI. Within the set of UCR collections, two are central: the Summary Reporting System (termed SRS or UCR Summary in this report)
|
From page 16... ...
The point is that even if these barriers to respondent participation were suddenly lifted -- if the nation's current major crime data sources were to continue exactly as-is, just with full cooperation -- the major gaps in content knowledge would remain poorly covered, simply because the topics concern offenses and require contextual information that the NIBRS and NCVS are not currently equipped to address in their current configurations. The only way to start to answer these and other important questions about crime in the United States in a comprehensive way is to fundamentally modernize and redesign the underlying crime data infrastructure.
|
From page 17... ...
crime statistics has been treated solely as a post hoc labeling and editing procedure; this study's basic premise is that there is considerable advantage in achieving clarity in concept first and building new indicators and data systems using the classification as a blueprint, rather than forcing existing statistics into a new post-processing mold. Another main objective of this final report, referenced in the full statement of charge and combining methodological and implementation elements, is to consider the appropriate governance structure -- the most productive division of labor between the BJS and FBI, other data providers, (volunteer)
|
From page 18... ...
and so subject to punishment or sanction. This literal notion of crime motivated the initial restriction of UCR content to a small number of offenses, precisely because these major violent and property crimes were thought to be defined relatively consistently across the criminal codes of the various U.S.
|
From page 19... ...
We cannot presume that our collective perspective, or even the wide range of user and stakeholder perspectives we sought in our meetings, is sufficiently thorough as to prescribe what offense measures should be improved first or what alternative data sources are more or less reliable than others. Arriving at an ideal and improved set of measures will require extensive iteration and refinement, based on prototype and preliminary measurement attempts and reflecting an even broader sweep of stakeholder input.
|
From page 20... ...
The primary front on which we faced this challenge was addressed in Report 1, which defined what is meant by crime while minding the traditional distinction between what is typically processed in civil justice (or purely regulatory) proceedings versus criminal justice proceedings.
|
From page 21... ...
recent years or to a specific class of offenses: – Monthly Return of Arson Offenses Known to Law Enforcement – Cargo Theft Incident Report – Monthly Return of Human Trafficking Offenses – Hate Crime Incident Report • National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) : The eventual successor to the SRS, NIBRS is separately maintained and its specially formatted data separately gathered from participants/state coordinators.
|
From page 22... ...
There is obviously overlap between definition and measurement of "crime" and the promulgation of "criminal history" records. But delving into the content of criminal history record databases and fully dealing with the issues related to transmitting, disclosing, and linking person level records in multiple datasets are all major tasks worthy of detailed research and debate in their own right, and not subjects that this panel is constituted to address.
|
From page 23... ...
To inform meaningful discussion of the role of the states in crime data collection, Appendix E presents state-level profiles summarizing legal requirements for crime reporting defined in state law or regulation and the status of adopting incident-based crime reporting. A final, shorter Appendix F sounds a cautionary note from international experience, using modernization experiences in the United Kingdom to underscore that some of the changes we suggest are not simple panaceas.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.