Crime Reporting: NIBRS Process

Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read the Project 2020 scenarios for the future of cybercrime – White paper for decision makers (Links to an external site.) and A Guide to understanding NIBRS (Links to an external site.) online resources, and watch the National Incident-Based Reporting System (Links to an external site.) video. It is also recommended that you review pages 1 through 41 of the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) User Manual (Links to an external site.).

The impact of computers and the Internet not only affects the types of crimes now committed globally, but also greatly impacts how crimes are reported, statistics are gathered, and ultimately how crimes are investigated and prosecuted. In your 400 word minimum initial post, address the following elements:

• Explain the utility of the UCR and NIBRS systems for producing accurate, empirically based data regarding Federal, state and local crime reporting.
• Evaluate the weaknesses in the reporting systems for collecting accurate, timely and significant data.
• Formulate improvements to the reporting systems that might increase data accuracy.
• Predict the future of crime reporting and the relevancy of the UCR and NIBRS.

Guided Response: Review several of your colleagues’ posts and substantively respond to at least two of your peers by 11:59 p.m. on Day 7 of the week. You are encouraged to post your required replies earlier in the week to promote more meaningful and interactive discourse in this discussion.

Resources for crime prevention, investigation, and prosecution are constantly limited by economic trends and restraints. It is essential for law enforcement to consistently and diligently find ways to be more effective in resource allocation. The federal reporting systems of the UCR and NIBRS are two of the major tools that affect law enforcement budgets, priorities, and effectiveness. Evaluate these three concerns in your responses to your responses to your colleagues. Continue to monitor the discussion forum until 5:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) on Day 7 of the week and respond to anyone who replies to your initial post.

Required Resources

Guide

Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. (n.d.). A guide to understanding NIBRS (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/nibrs/2011/resources/a-guide-to-understanding-nibrs

• This guide describes the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), providing details on various elements important to the efficacy of the system.

Multimedia

PublicResourceOrg. (2008, July 7). National incident-based reporting system (Links to an external site.) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/9Nh4wn1cEig

• This video examines incident based record systems and their relationship to the national, Uniform Crime Reporting system. Accuracy in crime data collection, scoring and the reporting Uniform Crime Report data is greatly increased through this computer based system.
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Report

International Cyber Security Protection Alliance (ICSPA). (n.d.). Project 2020 scenarios for the future of cybercrime – White paper for decision makers (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://2020.trendmicro.com/Project2020.pdf

• This report seeks to anticipate the future of cybercrime, in an effort to help governments, businesses and citizens be best prepared for the opportunities and challenges of the 21st century.

Recommended Resources

User Manual

Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Justice Information Services Division. (2013). National incident-based reporting system (NIBRS) user manual (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/nibrs/nibrs-user-manual

• Pages 1 through 41 of this manual detail the impact of the NIBRS on the federal Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system. Since its inception, national data for crime reporting has increased exponentially. Computer reporting and data management allows more information to be collected, analyzed and utilized in the field. You will only need to read pages 1 through 41 of the manual.

Multimedia

MSCJ Resources (Links to an external site.) (http://ashford-mscj.weebly.com/)

• This resource site will provide assistance in researching additional sources for the assessments within this course.
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Web Page

Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2009). Uniform crime reporting statistics (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://www.ucrdatatool.gov/abouttheucr.cfm

• This short guide provides a basic summary of the Uniform Crime Reporting System utilized in the United States to report and collate nationwide crime data.