Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The National Incident-Based Reporting System: Research and Policy Applications

  • Published:
Journal of Quantitative Criminology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) offers a new source ofdata for measuring crime. Though far from national in coverage, NIBRS datacan address research and policy questions outside the scope of the UniformCrime Reports and the National Crime Victimization Survey. Comparisons ofthe three sources of crime data are presented, with particular emphasis onwhat can be learned from incident-based police data that cannot be learnedfrom other sources. Like all data on crime, the NIBRS is subject to variousproblems with validity and measurement error. Two general categories of suchproblems are discussed: those evident in the design of the NIBRS and thoselinked to more general issues in the organizational production of data.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Akiyama, Y., and Rosenthal, H. M. (1990). The future of the Uniform Crime Reporting Program: Its scope and promise. In MacKenzie, D. L., Baunach, P. J., and Roberts, R. R. (eds.), Measuring Crime: Large-Scale, Long-Range Efforts, State University of New York Press, Albany, pp. 49–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Annest, J. L., Conn, J. M., and James, S. P. (1996). Inventory of Federal Data Systems in the United States for Injury Surveillance, Research and Prevention Activities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Atlanta, GA. http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pubres/pubs2.htm.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beltramo, M. N. (1997). Cost Issues of Implementing the National Incident-based Reporting System in Local Law Enforcement Agencies, NIBRS Project Staff Report 3, SEARCH Group, Sacramento, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Block, C. R. (1995). STAC hot spot areas: A statistical tool for law enforcement agencies. In Block, C. R., Dabdoub, M., and Fregly, S. (eds.), Crime Analysis Through Computer Mapping, Police Executive Research Forum, Washington, DC, pp. 15–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Block, R. L., and Block, C. R. (1980). Decisions and data: The transformation of robbery incidents into official robbery statistics. J. Crim. Law Criminol. 71: 622–636.

    Google Scholar 

  • Block, R., and Block, C. R. (1995). Space, place, and crime: Hot spot areas and hot spot places of liquor-related crime. In Eck, J. E., and Weisburd, D. (eds.), Crime and Place, Crime Prevention Studies, Vol. 4, Criminal Justice Press, Monsey, NY, pp. 145–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bratton, W. J. (1995). Great expectations: how higher expectations for police departments can lead to a decrease in crime. Paper presented at the National Institute of Justice Policing Research Institutes meeting, Measuring What Matters. Washington, DC.

  • Bratton, W. J. with Knobler, P. (1998). Turnaround: How America's Top Cop Reversed the Crime Epidemic, Random House, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bureau of Justice Statistics (1997). Criminal Victimization in the United States, 1994, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R. V. (1997). Introduction. In Clarke, R. V. (ed.), Situational Crime Prevention: Successful Case Studies, 2nd ed. Harrow and Heston, New York, pp. 2–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, P. J. (1985a). The case of the missing victims: Gunshot woundings in the National Crime Survey. J. Quant. Criminol. 1: 91–102.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, P. J. (1985b). Is robbery becoming more violent? An analysis of robbery trends since 1968. J. Crim. Law Criminol. 76: 480–489.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, P. J. (1987). Robbery violence. J. Crim. Law Criminol. 78: 357–376.

    Google Scholar 

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (1992). National Incident-Based Reporting System, Vol. 2. Data Submission Specifications, U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (1997). National Incicdent-Based Reporting System, Vol. 4. Error Message Manual, U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (1998). National Incident-Based Reporting System, Vol. 1. Data Collection Guidelines, U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garofalo, J., Siegel, L., and Laub, J. H. (1987). School-related victimizations among adolescents: An analysis of National Crime Survey narratives. J. Quant. Criminol. 3: 321–338.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geerken, M. R. (1994). Rap sheets in criminological research: considerations and caveats. J. Quant. Criminol. 10: 3–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenfeld, L. A. (1997). Sex Offenses and Offenders: An Analysis of Data on Rape and Sexual Assault, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenfeld, L. A. (1998). Alcohol and Crime: An Analysis of National Data on the Prevalence of Alcohol Involvement in Crime, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., and Bachman, J. G. (1996). National Survey Results on Drug Use from the Monitoring the Future Study, 1975-1995, Vol. vnI. Secondary School Students, NIH Publication No. 97-4139, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Rockville, MD.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelling, G. L., and Coles, C. M. (1996). Fixing Broken Windows: Restoring Order and Reducing Crime in Our Communities, Free Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitsuse, J. I., and Cicourel, A. V. (1963). A note on the uses of official statistics. Soc. Problems 11: 131–138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krauss, C. (1995). Shootings fall as more guns stay at home. N.Y. Times 30 July: A-10.

  • Lipsky, M. (1980). Street-Level Bureaucrats, Russell Sage Foundation, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loftin, C. (1986). The validity of robbery-murder classifications in Baltimore. Violence Vict. 1: 191–204.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maltz, M. D. (1977). Crime statistics: A historical perspective. Crime Delinq. 23: 32–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maltz, M. D. (1998). Visualizing homicide: A research note. J. Quant. Criminol. 14: 397–410.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maxfield, M. G. (1989). Circumstances in supplementary homicide reports: Variety and validity. Criminology 26(4): 123–155.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maxfield, M. G. (1998). Records management interview. Unpublished field notes.

  • Maxfield, M. G., and Babbie, E. (1998). Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology 2nd ed., Wadsworth, Belmont, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • MEGG Associates (1996). A NIBRS Overview. MEGG Associates, Richmond, VA. http:// www.crisnet.comym-nibrs3.html?nib-hist.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council Panel on Research on Child Abuse and Neglect (1993). Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect, National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poggio, E. C., Kennedy, S. D., Chaiken, J. M., and Carlson, K. E. (1985). Blueprint for the Future of the Uniform Crime Reporting Program. Final Report of the UCR Study, U.S.

  • Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, D.C.

  • Policing Research Institute (1997). Measuring What Matters. Part Two: Developing Measures of What the Police Do. Summary of Meeting Discussions, 4 Dec. 1996, Research in Brief.

  • U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice, Washington, DC.

  • Programs Support Section, Criminal Justice Information Services Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation (1997). Cross-Tabulations and Units of Count with NIBRS Data Elements, Programs Support Section, Criminal Justice Information Services Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rand, M. R. (1997). Violence-Related Injuries Treated in Hospital Emergency Departments, Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reaves, B. A. (1993). Using NIBRS Data to Analyze Violent Crime, Bureau of Justice Statistics Technical Report, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Riedel, M. (1987). Stranger violence: Perspectives, issues, and problems. J. Crim. Law Criminol. 78: 223–258.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, D. J. (1997). Implementing the National Incident-based Reporting System: A Project Status Report, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • SEARCH Group (1997a). NIBRS National Analysis Strategies Meeting (Author's notes), SEARCH Group, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • SEARCH Group (1997b). Report of Regional Focus Group Meetings, Findings and Recommendations, NIBRS Project Staff Report 2, SEARCH Group, Denver, CO.

    Google Scholar 

  • SEARCH Group (1997c). Report on State Incident-based Reporting Profiles and Certified Software Applications, NIBRS Project Staff Report 1, SEARCH Group, Denver, CO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seidman, D., and Couzens, M. (1974). Getting the crime rate down: Political pressure and crime reporting. Law Soc. Rev. 8: 457–493.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shady, T. A. (1993). The National Incident-Based Reporting System: A cautionary guide for researchers, Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Denver, CO.

  • Sherman, L. W., Shaw, J. W., and Rogan, D. P. (1995). The Kansas City Gun Experiment, Research in Brief, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice, Washington, DC.

  • Skogan, W. G. (1974). The validity of official crime statistics: An empirical investigation. Soc. Sci. Q. 55: 25–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vera Institute (1981). Felony Arrests, rev. ed., Longman, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, R. T., and Decker, S. H. (1994). Burglars on the Job: Streetlife and Residential Breakins, Northeastern University Press, Boston.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Criminal Justice, Rutgers University, 15 Washington Street, Newark, New Jersey, 07102

    Michael G. Maxfield

Authors
  1. Michael G. Maxfield
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Maxfield, M.G. The National Incident-Based Reporting System: Research and Policy Applications. Journal of Quantitative Criminology 15, 119–149 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007518620521

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007518620521

Search

Navigation