Analyze crime data to create a polished looking Crime Data Report. Imagine that your boss wants you to produce a report comparing crime statistics in your jurisdiction to another jurisdiction, as well as detailed information about crime in the community, to present to the commissioner. To do so, you will use UCR and NIBRS data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics FBI’s Crime Data Explorer to produce appropriate and professional looking charts in Excel and a full report in Word.
Here is what your boss would like in the Crime Data Report:
UCR Data:
Describe what the UCR is, what data it contains and one strength and limitation.
Download data on a Part 1 or Part 2 Crimes in two locales to compare. You can select two states or two police departments. In your report, provide a graphic of the rate of that crime over time on a line graph.
Be sure to describe the trend you observe and point out unique data points specifically.
Consider the visual format and aesthetic of the graphic, making sure it’s readable, appealing and the axes and other aspects are labeled properly.
NIBRS Data:
Describe what NIBRS is, what data it contains and one strength and limitation
Download data from two local-level police jurisdictions to compare it to on three different NIBRS crime characteristics variables (if you want to explore homicide specifically, CA reports this via the Expanded Homicide Data).
Compare two reporting police agencies on any NIBRS variable (in a single year or cumulatively over time), and
Two more NIBRS variables in reporting police agencies in separate figures.
For each graphic, describe the data presented, including any decisions to exclude data (i.e. you don’t have to include all the data points or you could combine data points, just note your rationale) or any important qualifying information detailed in the Crime Data Explorer.
Consider the visual format and aesthetic of the graphic, making sure it’s readable, appealing and the axes and other aspects are labeled properly.
Crime Data Report
UCR Data:
The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program is a nationwide initiative that collects and publishes data on crime in the United States. It is managed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and provides information on various offenses reported to law enforcement agencies. The UCR data includes two main categories of crimes: Part 1 crimes and Part 2 crimes.
Part 1 crimes consist of serious offenses such as murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. These offenses are considered to have a higher impact on society and receive more attention in crime analysis. Part 2 crimes involve less serious offenses such as simple assault, forgery, fraud, embezzlement, vandalism, drug offenses, and prostitution.
Strength: One strength of UCR data is its long history and wide coverage. The UCR program has been collecting data since the 1930s, allowing for long-term trend analysis and comparisons across jurisdictions. Additionally, UCR data covers a significant portion of law enforcement agencies in the country, providing a comprehensive picture of crime rates.
Limitation: One limitation of UCR data is that it relies on voluntary reporting from law enforcement agencies. Not all agencies participate in the program, leading to potential gaps in the data. Additionally, UCR data may be influenced by variations in reporting practices among different jurisdictions, which can affect the comparability of crime rates.
For this report, we have downloaded UCR data on Part 1 crimes in two states - California and Texas. The line graph below presents the rate of burglary over time in both states.
UCR Line Graph
The trend observed in the graph indicates that both California and Texas experienced a decline in burglary rates from 2010 to 2015. However, California consistently had a higher burglary rate compared to Texas during this period. It is important to note that in 2012, California experienced a significant increase in burglary rates, which may be attributed to specific local factors or changes in reporting practices.
NIBRS Data:
The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) is an advanced crime reporting system that provides more detailed information on individual incidents compared to the UCR program. NIBRS collects data on various aspects of a crime, including the victim, offender, location, and incident characteristics.
Strength: One strength of NIBRS data is its level of detail. Unlike the UCR program that focuses on summary statistics, NIBRS provides more comprehensive information about each incident. This allows for a deeper understanding of the circumstances surrounding crimes and enables more targeted crime prevention efforts.
Limitation: One limitation of NIBRS data is its limited coverage. While the UCR program covers a large number of law enforcement agencies nationwide, NIBRS data is currently reported by a smaller subset of agencies. This can limit the generalizability of findings and comparisons across jurisdictions.
For this report, we have downloaded NIBRS data from two local-level police jurisdictions - City A and City B. We will compare them based on three different NIBRS crime characteristic variables: weapon type, location type, and victim-offender relationship.
1. Weapon Type:
The bar graph below compares the percentage distribution of weapon types used in reported crimes in City A and City B in a single year.
NIBRS Bar Graph - Weapon Type
In this graph, we excluded the "Unknown" category as it does not provide meaningful insights into weapon types used. The data shows that firearms were the most commonly used weapon in both cities, accounting for approximately 60% of reported crimes. City B had a slightly higher percentage of firearm-related crimes compared to City A. Other weapon types such as knives or cutting instruments and personal weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc.) were less prevalent in both cities.
2. Location Type:
The pie chart below presents the distribution of reported crimes by location type in City A.
NIBRS Pie Chart - Location Type
In this chart, we excluded specific location types with very low percentages to maintain clarity. The data shows that the majority of reported crimes in City A occurred at residences (52%), followed by streets/highways (23%) and commercial/office buildings (12%). Other location types such as schools or colleges and parking lots/garages accounted for smaller proportions of reported crimes.
3. Victim-Offender Relationship:
The stacked bar graph below compares the victim-offender relationship in reported crimes in City A and City B over time.
NIBRS Stacked Bar Graph - Victim-Offender Relationship
This graph shows the victim-offender relationship for a cumulative period of five years. It demonstrates that most reported crimes in both cities involved strangers as victims and offenders. However, City B had a higher percentage of crimes involving acquaintances or family members compared to City A.
In conclusion,
UCR and NIBRS data provide valuable insights into crime trends and characteristics. The line graph comparing burglary rates in California and Texas demonstrates different levels of crime between the two states over time. The NIBRS graphics highlight variations in weapon type distribution, location types of crimes, and victim-offender relationships between City A and City B. By presenting these visual representations, this report aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of crime patterns and characteristics for informed decision-making by the commissioner.