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Uniform Crime Reporting Handbook NIBRS EDITION

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Uniform Crime Reporting Handbook NIBRS EDITION t s.l)orp.anmenlllr JU~iCl' r r. B~u)fll!\" I Uniform Crime Reporting Handbook NIBRS EDITION UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING HANDBOOK National Incident-Based Reporting System Edition ·Federal Bureau of Investigation 1992 During the more than 60 years since its inception in 1930, the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program has strivedto depict the crime problem in America. Expanding in scope, importance, and size over the years, the Program now encom­ passes approximately 16,000 Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies nationwide which contribute crime statistics. Without their cooperation and support, the Program could not fulfill its mission. To ensure the best reporting possible and the production of a reliable set of crime statistics, the UCR staff has developed this handbook to assist participating agencies in understanding the policies and proce­ dures of the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). This document does not contain the technical coding and data transmission requirements of NIBRS. It is intended only to address policy, the types of data 10be reported, and reporting guidelines. Technical requirements for transmission of NIBRS are included in four volumes listed on page 3. Inquiries concerning Uniform Crime Reporting may be addressed to: Uniform Crime Reports Federal Bureau ofInvestigation Washington, D.C. 20535 Uniform Crime Reports GOVERNMENT ~ ADMINISTRATORS --. ACADEMIC COMMUNITY LEGISLATORS JUDICIARY OTHER USERS LAW ENFORCEMENT u CONTENTS CHAPTER 6 (Continued) Method of Entry 39 Type Criminal Activity INTRODUCTION 40 Type Weapon/Force Involved 40 Historical Background 1 National Incident-Based Reporting CHAPTER 7 System (NIBRS) 1 PROPERTY DATA Collection of Crime Data 41 2 Type PropertyLoss/Etc, State UCR Programs 41 2 Property Description 41 Uniform Crime Reporting Publications 2 Value of Property Benefits of Participation 43 3 Guidelines for Property Valuation 43 Requirementsfor Participation 3 Date Recovered 44 Number of Stolen Motor Vehicles CHAPTER 1 44 Number of Recovered Motor Vehicles REPORTING IN NIBRS 44 5 Suspected Drug Type NIBRS Reports 44 6 Estimated Drug Quantity/Type Drug Jurisdictional Reporting Rules 6 Measurement 45 Referrals From Other Agencies 9 CHAPTER 8 CHAPTER 2 VICTIM DATA GROUP A OFFENSES 47 11 Victim Sequence Number 47 NIBRS Group A Offense Definitions 11 Victim Connected to UCR Offense An Aid in Classifying Assaults 12 Code(s) 47 Type of Victim CHAPTER 3 47 Age of Victim GROUP B OFFENSES 48 23 Sex of Victim 48 NIBRS Group B Offense Definitions 23 Race ofVictim 48 Ethnicity of Victim CHAPTER 4 48 Resident Status of Victim NIBRS DATA SUBMISSIONS 48 25 Aggravated Assault/Homicide Definition of "Incident" 25 Circumstances Classifying Offenses 49 28 Additional Justifiable Homicide Crimes Against Persons/Property/ Circumstances Society 49 29 Type ofinjury 49 UCR Offense Codes 29 Offender Number(s) To Be Related 50 Relationship of Victim to Offender CHAPTER 5 50 ADMINISTRATIVE DATA 33 CHAPTER 9 ORINumber 33 OFFENDER DATA Incident Number 53 33 Offender (Sequence) Number Incident Date/Hour 53 33 Age of Offender Exceptional Clearances 53 34 Sex of Offender Exceptional Clearance Date 53 35 Race ofOffender 54 CHAPTER 6 OFFENSE DATA 37 CHAPTER 10 UCR Offense Codes 37 ARRESTEE DATA 55 Offense Attempted/Completed 37 Group B Arrest Reports 55 Offender(s) Suspected of Using 38 Arrestee (Sequence) Number 56 Bias Motivation 38 Arrest (Transaction) Number 56 Location Type 39 Arrest Date 56 Number of Premises Entered 39 Type of Arrest 56 iii CHAPTER 10 (Continued) CHAPTER 13 Multiple Arrestee Segments Indicator 56 STATISTICAL TOOLS FOR Arrest Offense Code 57 DECISIONMAKING 71 Arrestee Was Armed With 57 Volume 71 Age of Arrestee 57 Crime and Arrest Rates 71 Sex of Arrestee 58 Clearance Rates 71 Race of Arrestee 58 Law Enforcement Employee Rates 72 Ethnicity of Arrestee 58 Population-at-Risk Rates 72 Resident Status of Arrestee 58 Crime Trends 72 Disposition of Arrestee Under 18 58 Caveat on Data Usage 73 Juvenile Arrest Reporting 59 Community Types 73 Population 74 CHAPTER 11 Regions and Divisions 74 LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS KILLED OR ASSAULTED 61 APPENDIX OFFENSE LOOKUP TABLE 75 CHAPTER 12 Description of Lookup Table 75 OTHER UNIFORM CRIME How to Classify Offenses of REPORTING FORMS 67 GeneralApplicability 75 Law Enforcement Employees Report 67 Offense Lookup Table 76 Supply Request 67 IV INTRODUCTION Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) is a city, of recommending an expanded and enhanced county, state, and Federal law enforcement pro­ UCR Program to meet law enforcement needs gram. This Program provides a nationwide viewof into the 21st century. crime based on the submission of crime informa­ The FBI fully concurred with the need for an tion by law enforcement agencies throughout the updated Program to meet contemporary needs country. The crime data are submitted either and provided its support, formulating a com­ through a state UCR Program or directly to the prehensive redesign effort. Following a multiyear national UCR Program which is administered by study, a "Blueprint for the Future of the Uniform the FBI. For over half a century, the data have Crime Reporting Program"was developed. Using been used inlawenforcement administration, op­ the "Blueprint" and in consultation with local and eration, and management, as well as to indicate state law enforcement executives, new guidelines the levels and nature of crime in the UnitedStates. for Uniform Crime Reports were formulated. As outlined in this handbook, the National Incident­ HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Based Reporting System (NIBRS) will offer law In the 1920s, the International Association of enforcement more comprehensive data than ever Chiefs of Police (IACP) envisioned the need for before available for management, training, plan­ statistics on crime in our Nation. The Committee ning, etc. The implementation ofNIBRS willbe at on Uniform Crime Records of the IACP devel­ a pacecommensurate with the resources, abilities, oped this national data collection effort in 1930 and limitations of the contributing law enforce­ and continues to work with the FBI in its efforts ment agencies. with UCR. During that same year, the IACP was The Uniform Federal Crime Reporting Act, instrumental in gaining congressional approval passed in conjunction with the Anti-Drug Abuse which authorized the FBI to serve as the national Act of 1988, mandated that all Federal law en­ clearinghouse forstatistical information on crime. forcement agencies begin reporting crime data to The National Sheriffs' Association, in June, 1966, the FBI under the procedures established by the established a Committee on Uniform Crime Re­ UCR Program. Federal agencies report to the porting to work with the FBI and to encourage FBI in the same manner as individual state and sheriffs throughout the country to participate fully local law enforcement agencies and are held to the in the Program. To function in an advisory capac­ same uniform reporting standards. ity concerning UCR policy andto provide sugges­ tions on UCR data usage, a Data Providers NATIONAL INCIDENT-BASED REPORTING Advisory Policy Board was established in 1988. SYSTEM (NIBRS) The Board is composed of 20 city, county, and NIBRS is an incident-based reporting system state law enforcement executives, representing which means data are collected on each single the four geographic regions of the country and crime occurrence. NIBRS data are designed to be agencies of varying size. generated as a byproduct of local, state, and Fed­ Throughout its first 60 years of operation, the eral automated records systems. Thus, an agency VCR Program remained virtually unchanged in can build its own system to suit its individual terms of the data collected and disseminated. As needs, including all the information required for time progressed, a broad utility evolved for UCR administrative and operational purposes. Only data, and law enforcement expanded its capabili­ the data required by NIBRS are then reported to ties to supply crime information. In the late 1970s, , the national UCR Program. the law enforcement community called for a thor­ NIBRS collects data on each single incident and ough evaluative study of UCR with the objective arrest within 22 offense categories made up of 46 specific crimes called Group A offenses. For each 1 forth in this handbook. There is a lower level of Offenses. Other offenses are to be reported only participation which may be allowed if a state or when arrests occur. All of the other requirements local agency is unable to meet all of the offense. for NIBRS participation must be met. reporting requirements of full participation. At the time of this publication, law enforcement Under limited participation, detailed incident re. unanimously has adopted the "full participation" porting is reduced from 22 NIBRS Group A of. option of NIBRS. fense categories to the historical "Crime Index" offenses, including the expanded Forcible Sex 4 Chapter 1 REPORTING IN NIBRS The primary objective of UCR is to collect a 10. Frand Offenses (continued) reliable set of criminal statistics for use in law Welfare Fraud enforcement administration, operation, and man­ Wire Fraud agement. To meet thisobjective, lawenforcement 11. Gambling Offenses agencies across the Nation have for over 60 years BettinglWagering voluntarily supplied information on crimes com­ OperatinglPromoting/Assisting Gambling ing to their attention.Not all crimes, however,are Gambling Equipment Violations appropriate indicators of the dimensions and Sports Tampering
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