2021 State Justice Statistics Program - Idaho

The Idaho Statistical Analysis Center (ISAC) is proposing a project under Section A of the Core Capacity-Building Project to collect and analyze NIBRS data in the context of COVID-19.  The ISAC will partner with Idaho’s UCR program manager to inform the analysis, which will examine how the sudden shifts in policies and procedures in response to the pandemic may have affected crime patterns observed in NIBRS data. Because Idaho’s pandemic response was largely localized with guidance from the State, the analysis will focus on county and regional crime patterns, taking into account the differing approaches taken in different jurisdictions (e.g. school closings, changes in policing and/or arresting decisions, etc.). An interrupted time series model will be used to compare pre-pandemic crime rates to those observed during the statewide stay-at-home order that was in effect during the spring of 2020, and rates since the stay-at-home order was lifted. Special attention will be given to topics of interest to state and local stakeholders, such as drug- and alcohol-related arrests, sexual assaults, domestic violence, and child victims of violent crimes. For context, data from other public sources such as correctional population counts, court filings, and clients served by victim service agencies will be incorporated to provide as full a picture as possible of the pandemic’s impact on Idaho’s justice system.