Building the SAC's Ability to Assess NIBRS Data Completeness and Quality

The State Justice Statistics (SJS) Program is designed to maintain and enhance each state's capacity to address criminal justice issues through collection and analysis of data. The SJS Program provides support to each state to coordinate and conduct statistical activities within the state, conduct research to estimate impacts of legislative and policy changes, and serve as a liaison in assisting BJS to gather data from respondent agencies within their states.

The Georgia Statistical Analysis Center (GSAC) is located within the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. The GSAC has been tasked to produce policy-relevant research using computerized criminal history (CCH) and state agency administrative data, support juvenile justice reform efforts, and support the State Administering Agency’s responsibility in managing state and federal criminal justice funding.

Under the 2017 SJS program, the SAC will builds on the state’s efforts to transition from their historical Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) method to the National Incident Based Reporting (NIBRS) method. For this project, the GA CJCC will partner with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Crime Information Center to provide both agencies with a unique opportunity to set robust quality and data completeness standards for a transition to NIBRS data collection. GBI has scheduled meetings with law enforcement records management system vendors to apprise them of the NIBRS rollout and alert them about the new reporting platform. Certain agencies in the state have already alerted GBI that their Records Management Systems (RMS) are NIBRS compatible and all their vendor has to do is flip a switch.

While the applicant believes that the transition will happen over the next three (3) year, this year will find the GA CJCC focused on two (2) specific tasks: 1. UCR/NIBRS comparative assessment (i.e. the “smell test”). 2. Data Audit Plan. The “smell test” involves the GA CJCC conducting comparisons between UCR and NIBRS data to determine the expected levels of variation in crime rates between the two reporting methods. The Data Audit Plan entails the GA CJCC working in partnership with GBI to conduct annual survey-based audits of the UCR program coordinators at each LEA to ensure they understand how to report, and provide technical assistance to those who demonstrate knowledge gaps or common mistakes in reporting. The GA CJCC will produce a summary report comparing UCR and NIBRS submissions for agencies that convert to incident-based reporting over the course of the project. (CA/NCF)

Note: This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law.

The State Justice Statistics (SJS) Program is designed to maintain and enhance each state's capacity to address criminal justice issues through collection and analysis of data. The SJS Program provides support to each state to coordinate and conduct statistical activities within the state, conduct research to estimate impacts of legislative and policy changes, and serve as a liaison in assisting BJS to gather data from respondent agencies within their states. The Georgia Statistical Analysis Center (GSAC) is located within the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. The GSAC has been tasked to produce policy-relevant research using computerized criminal history (CCH) and state agency administrative data, support juvenile justice reform efforts, and support the State Administering Agency’s responsibility in managing state and federal criminal justice funding. Under the 2017 SJS program, the SAC will builds on the state’s efforts to transition from their historical Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) method to the National Incident Based Reporting (NIBRS) method. For this project, the GA CJCC will partner with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Crime Information Center to provide both agencies with a unique opportunity to set robust quality and data completeness standards for a transition to NIBRS data collection. GBI has scheduled meetings with law enforcement records management system vendors to apprise them of the NIBRS rollout and alert them about the new reporting platform. Certain agencies in the state have already alerted GBI that their Records Management Systems (RMS) are NIBRS compatible and all their vendor has to do is flip a switch. While the applicant believes that the transition will happen over the next three (3) year, this year will find the GA CJCC focused on two (2) specific tasks: 1. UCR/NIBRS comparative assessment (i.e. the “smell test”). 2. Data Audit Plan. The “smell test” involves the GA CJCC conducting comparisons between UCR and NIBRS data to determine the expected levels of variation in crime rates between the two reporting methods. The Data Audit Plan entails the GA CJCC working in partnership with GBI to conduct annual survey-based audits of the UCR program coordinators at each LEA to ensure they understand how to report, and provide technical assistance to those who demonstrate knowledge gaps or common mistakes in reporting. The GA CJCC will produce a summary report comparing UCR and NIBRS submissions for agencies that convert to incident-based reporting over the course of the project. (CA/NCF) Note: This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law.