Increase the VA SAC's Capacity to Analyze and Report NIBRS Data

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 Virginia SAC, the Criminal Justice Research Center, provides research and data to the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). The DCJS houses the SAC as well as serves as the SAA. Under the FY19 SJS award, the SAC will conduct one core capacity project (Analyze and Assess NIBRS Data).

The core capacity project will contain four sub-projects to assess the quality and completeness of NIBRS reporting, produce NIBRS data reports, and improve the timeliness of published NIBRS reports. Project 1) Examine Quality and Content of Hate Crimes Reported in Virginia NIBRS (VA IBRS). The SAC will examine and assess hate crime incidents reported in VA IBRS, and characterize trends and characteristics of these crimes. The SAC’s VA IBRS database through 2018 now contains data on 1,547 hate crime victims. For calendar years 2019-2020 hate crime incidents data will be collected and analyzed for the final report. Project 2) Examine Quality and Content of VA IBRS Data Related to Opioids. The VA SAC will assess opioid-related arrests reported in VA IBRS. Preliminary data from the VA Department of Health show that 2018 opioid-related deaths dropped compared to data from 2017. 2018 VA IBRS opioid arrest data also show a decrease compared to 2017 data. The SAC will also compare VA IBRS data to data on opioid-related admissions to hospitals, opioid overdoses and fatalities, and opioid samples seized in arrests for forensic analysis. Project 3) Continue Using NIBRS to Examine the Use of Firearms in Domestic Incidents. The VA SAC is now collecting data on domestic violence incidents involving firearms, to assess 2016 legislation prohibiting persons subject to a protective order from possessing firearms. The VA SAC’s IBRS database through 2017 contains 241,703 domestic violence victims. The SAC will add 2018-20 records to the database, and continue to assess data quality and the legislation’s impact on firearms and domestic violence. Project 4) Continue Using NIBRS to Examine Reporting of Misdemeanor and Felony Offenses. The VA SAC is now collecting data on felony/larceny incidents and arrests, to assess 2018 legislation raising Virginia’s felony/larceny threshold from $200 to $500. The VA SAC will add 2019-20 records to the database, and continue to assess the effects of the threshold change.

(CA/NCF)