THE CRIME PICTURE

Chapter 2

Adapted from:Frank Schmalleger’s CRIMINAL JUSTICE TODAY, 9E.PRENTICE HALL, Education Inc. ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc.

How many crimes are committed annually in the United States?

How do we keep track?How are statistics calculated?

Counting Crimes

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The Crimina

l Justice Funnel

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The FBI Crime Clock

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The Value of Data

Data are valuable and can be used to

Shape public policy Analyze and evaluate existing programs

Create new programs Plan new laws Develop funding requests

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Sources of Data

Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)National Incident Based Reporting System (NIMBRS) National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

Offender self-reports Other regular publications

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UniformCrimeReports

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Uniform Crime Reports

The reports began in 1930. Data are collected by F.B.I. Approximately 16,000 police agencies provide data. Only crimes known to the police are included. Law enforcement agencies submit reports voluntarily. The UCR contains the Crime Index.

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UCR: Crime Index

The Index is made up of Part Ioffenses.

Violent crime

Murder, rape, robbery, assault Property crime

Burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, arson

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UCR: Crime Index

Crime Index = major crimes

100,000 population

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UCR: Crime Rates

Crime Rate = number of crimes

100,000 population

Rates allow for comparison across areas and times.

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Actual and Projected Rates of Crime (1950–2010)

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UCR: Clearance Rates

Clearance Rate = number of crimes solved number of crimes

committed

Clearances are based on arrests, not judicial dispositions.

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Crimes Cleared by Arrest, 2004

NationalIncidentBased ReportingSystem

NIBRS: The New UCR

National Incident Based Reporting System

Incident driven, rather than summary based

FBI started this program in 1989. Goals: to enhance and improve crime data collection, analysis, and publication.

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NIBRS

National Incident Based Reporting System

Includes nature of the disposition of the complaint

Replaces the old Part I and Part II offenses with 22 general offenses

NIBRS22 offenses include:

kidnapping larceny motor vehicle theft pornography prostitution narcotics offenses embezzlement extortion

arson assault bribery burglary counterfeiting vandalism gambling homicide fraud

weapons violations robbery forcible sex offenses non-forcible sex offenses receiving stolen property

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NIBRSAlso collects data on:

bad checks vagrancy disorderly conduct driving under the influence drunkenness non-violent family offenses

liquor law violations “peeping Tom” activities runaways trespassing general category of all “other” criminal law violations

NationalCrimeVictimizationSurvey

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NCVS

National Crime Victimization Survey

Began operation in 1972 Based on victim self-reports Designed to measure the “dark figure” of crime Uses data collected by the Bureau of Justice Statistics More than 50,000 households are surveyed twice per year

NCVSIncludes data on:

Robbery Assault Burglary Personal and household larceny Motor vehicle theft Rape

NCVS Statistics Reveal

2004—crime rates at lowest level in years. 15% of all households are touched by crime. 24 million victimizations each year. About 1/2 of all violent crime is reported. Slightly more than 1/3 of all property crime is reported. Victims are more likely:

Men Younger peopleAfrican AmericanLower income (for violent victimization)

NCVSHousehold crime rates are highest for households:

Headed by younger people Headed by African-Americans With six or more members Headed by renters Located in central cities

Problems with the UCR and the NCVS

UCR

• Not everyone reports• Some crimes are rarely reported• Victims inaccuracies• Bureaucratic influences • Hierarchical counting system• Contains only data that FBI thinks is appropriate

NCVS

•There is potential for false or exaggerated reports• False reports may be generated by overzealous interviewers• Some people won’t respond• Respondents may suffer from faulty memories• Respondents may misinterpret events• Hierarchical counting system• Contains only data that BJS thinks is appropriate