Verified Document

Crime Statistics Data Bases Essay

Crime Statistics The two major sources of crime statistics in the United States are the Uniform Crime Reports and the National Incident-Based Reporting System. The UCR tracks eight crimes and has done so since 1930. There are almost 17,000 law enforcement agencies that report data to UCR. The FBI is the organization that spearheads the UCR and uses that data. One of the main advantages of the UCR is that it draws from such a large sample size, so it can provide an excellent statistical overview of crime in the United States. One of the major disadvantages of the UCR is that it is not easy to use for tracking local crime. There are, of course, the individual law enforcement agencies that report to UCR, but they may or may not publish their data publicly. The UCR is an excellent source for historical data, because it was started in 1930.

The NIBRS is a newer system, having come online in 2004. This means that it does not really compare with UCR in terms of historical data, though it does have modern data since its inception. This system tracks from 5200 or so agencies, representing 20% of the U.S. population. Thus, the sample size is not as large...

The NIBRS is an updated version of UCR that the FBI was working on for many years before its inception.
In terms of tracking the NIBRS tracks a total of 46 crimes, where the UCR only tracks eight. This is important because it delivers a more refined data set where users can drill down to specific crime types, instead of just crime groupings, which inevitably is what occurs with the UCR, given its reliance on broader categories for the crime. The UCR's data is merely a tabulation of crime numbers, and does not reflect the deeper data within the crime. The NIBRS sought to remedy this, and therefore it collects much more information about each crime. The NIBRS tracks, for example, information about victims, the relationship between the victim and the offender, injuries, weapons used, arrests made and specific location data, none of which are available from UCR (NIJ.gov, 2016).

One of the other points of refined data is that the UCR only reports the most serious crime committed during a given incident. The NIJ reports that this means…

Sources used in this document:
References

NIJ.gov (2016). Sources of crime data. National Institute of Justice. Retrieved March 5, 2016 from http://www.nij.gov/topics/crime/pages/ucr-nibrs.aspx
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Statistics Are Integral to Research
Words: 713 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

One of the most common fallacies is to confuse correlation with causation, but the two are actually distinct. My demonstrating that construction of snowmen and outbreak of acne occur simultaneously does not mean that snowmen produce acne. It may imply an underlying matter, such as the snow itself may contain some component that may instigate the outbreak, or the children who build the snowmen may be particularly vulnerable to

Aileen Wuornos and a General Theory of Crime
Words: 1661 Length: 5 Document Type: Research Paper

Crime and Aileen Wuornos Criminal theories based on biological, psychological, sociological, and socio-psychological factors have been constructed in an attempt to better identify the causes of crime and what drives an individual to behave in a deviant manner. While data on male serial killers is prevalent, the data and statistics available in regards to female serial killers are extremely limited. One of the most well-known female serial killers, in recent

Organized Crime in Canada Each Year, the
Words: 2552 Length: 8 Document Type: Research Paper

Organized Crime in Canada Each year, the Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (CISC) creates an organized crime report to inform the public of organized crime activities and markets in Canada. The nature of such activity is evolving -- new threats, participants and policies spring forth each year (McIntosh, 2010). It is critical that Canadians are informed of the nature and scope of such activity, governmental interventions and policing, and what they can

National Security Implications of Transnational Organized Crime
Words: 3380 Length: 9 Document Type: Essay

National Security Implications of Transnational Organized Crime The paper deals with three important aspects, one the National Security, second the crime -- organized in many ways, and the third rogue nations that pose a threat. National security is to be understood in multiple contexts. Firstly the physical security of the nation from alien threats, and intrusions, secondly damages to vital infrastructure and thirdly anti-national activities by organizations that may lead to

Immigration and Crime in the
Words: 1336 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

To put a price tag on the problem for reader, Indiana University economist Eric Rasmusen claims in figures from a 2005 GAO report on foreigners that were incarcerated in Federal and state prisons calculated that illegal immigrants commit 21% of crime in America. This cost America more than $84 billion (Kingsbury). Claim Three: Illegal immigration from Mexico is a major funnel for terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda. This is stated in

Law and Predictions
Words: 733 Length: 2 Document Type: Reaction Paper

Law and Quantification Big Data Policing in the Big Apple. By Ferguson A.G. The article highlights the concept of predictive policing using data collected and technology in order to deploy crime preventive measures rather than reactive measures to given mapped crime hot spots. The coverage by the author of this topic is well balanced since he looks at both extremes; the ideal situation and the shortcomings that maybe experienced with the technology.

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now