National Uniform Crime Reporting System

Crime Data Sources

Kayla M. Ferrell

American Public University Systems

Date of Submission Contents

Introduction 3

Uniform Crime Reports 3

National Incident-Based Reporting System 3

Uniform Crime Reports Methodology 4

National Incident-Based Reporting System Methodology 4

Similarities of UCR and NIBRS 5

Which System is More Efficient? 5

Conclusion 6

References 6

Introduction

The top two and most commonly used programs for reporting and tracking crime statistics in the United States are the Uniform Crime Reports, UCR, program and the National Incident-Based Reporting System, NIBRS, program. Each program contains data from crimes and incidents that is tracked, analyzed, and reported by different law enforcement agencies. While the UCR

However, NIBRS is the more in depth reporting system of the two. NIBRS is the better reporting system, but it reports on each individual crime within a reported offense whereas UCR creates reports at the most basic level. One difference that also stands out between the National Incident-Based Reporting Systems and the Uniform Crime Reports system is that NIBRS reports whether or not a crime was attempted or committed. Unlike NIBRS, the UCR reports all crimes in a way that they are seen as complete meaning there is no way to determine if a crime had been completed or merely

Though both reporting systems are similar, they also have several differences. NIBRS and UCR are broken down into groups to categorize the crimes that have been reported. These differences stem from the fact that the UCR was created first as a basic reporting system to have an idea of the criminal incidents happening and their details. Eventually, NIBRS, a more in depth and greater detailed system emerged to get a greater look at crime. NIBRS is viewed as the better system over UCR. However, not all law enforcement agencies have completed the switch to the new