(Video produced by the Federal Bureau of Investigation)
Introduction
Almost every law enforcement agency in the nation reports crime data to the community. This allows organizations to respond effectively to emerging crime trends and analyze the amount and types of criminal activity occurring.
Arlington has historically reported crime data using the Uniform Crime Report or (UCR) in Summary format. In 2017, the Arlington Police Department transitioned from Summary format to the National Incident-Based Reporting System or NIBRS. While the department still publishes Summary UCR reports, the organization began publishing NIBRS data in the 2018 Annual Report. Texas DPS mandated all agencies to transition to NIBRS reporting by 2021.
Overview
In 2017, the Arlington Police Department began transitioning from Summary UCR to NIBRS.
- The department is moving from summary reporting to more detailed reporting of crimes occurring in the city.
- Detailed crime data reporting allows the department to better understand trends in offenses.
- Uniformity is critical for crime data reporting. The amount of detail provided by NIBRS is expected to enhance the speed, availability, accuracy, and usefulness of crime data.
UCR Summary Facts
- Provides monthly aggregate crime counts for eight index crimes called Part I Crime.
- Records crimes against persons and property.
- Records one offense per incident.
- Does not distinguish between attempted and completed crimes.
- Typically records the most serious offenses known as the hierarchy rule.
UCR NIBRS Facts
- Provides individual incident records for eight index crimes and 38 other offenses, which are called Group A Offenses.
- Records crimes against persons, property, and society.
- Records each offense occurring within an incident.
- Distinguishes between attempted and completed crimes.
- Does not use the hierarchy rule.
The Uniform Crime Report
Since 1929, the FBI has used the UCR to collect crime data from participating law enforcement agencies. With the UCR, agencies voluntarily report the most serious offenses per incident of crime.
The UCR consists of eight Part I Offenses which are divided into two categories: Violent and Property Crime. Violent Crime includes aggravated assault, forcible rape, murder, and robbery. Property Crime includes arson, burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft.
Part II Crime includes simple assault, curfew offenses, loitering, embezzlement, forgery, counterfeiting, disorderly conduct, driving under the influence, drug offenses, fraud, gambling, liquor offenses, offenses against the family, prostitution, public drunkenness, runaways, sex offenses, stolen property, vandalism, vagrancy and weapon offenses.
National Incident-Based Reporting System
NIBRS has 46 Group A Offenses compared to Summary UCR's eight Part I Offenses. NIBRS is structured to improve the methodology used in compiling, analyzing, auditing and publishing collected crime stats. Like Summary UCR, NIBRS reports crime against persons and crime against property. However, NIBRS has a third category, crime against society.
Reporting Procedures
Law enforcement agencies report the number of known index crime offenses from their records of complaints from victims, reports from witnesses and officers. Reports that are later determined to be unfounded are eliminated from the totals. The number of offenses are reported without regard to whether arrests were made, stolen property was recovered or prosecution took place. Agencies also report additional information on the value of property stolen and value of property recovered, the circumstances surrounding homicides, family violence, hate crimes, sexual assault, and reports of persons arrested for all crimes. The arrest reports are categorized by age, sex, race, and ethnic origin.
On a monthly basis, the Arlington Police Department compiles and submits its NIBRS crime data to the Texas Department of Public Safety, who then forwards the data to the FBI. The Texas Department of Public Safety returns Summary UCR data to the Arlington Police Department.