The Difference
The biggest difference between NIBRS and the traditional UCR system is the degree of detail in reporting such as classification and recording. UCR track the number of offenses; clearances; types and values of stolen and recovered property; and the age, sex, and race of persons who are arrested, as well as arrest data for both Part I and Part II offenses, and submit aggregate counts of the collected data in monthly summary reports either directly to the FBI or indirectly through state UCR Programs (Regoli, Robert M., and Hewitt, John D., 2008, p 5). Also, there are no requirements to tie arrests and exceptional clearances back to previously submitted incident reports in the UCR Program. On the other hand NIBRS, law enforcement agencies collect detailed …show more content…
If more than one crime was committed by the same person or group of persons and the time and space intervals separating them were insignificant, all of the crimes are reported as offenses within the same incident (Author Unknown, 2013) and (Regoli, Robert M., and Hewitt, John D., 2008, p 9, 10). For example, if a rape case involves motor vehicle theft and kidnaping, they will be reported as a separate, distinct crime, rather than just a part of another offense. As you can see NIBRS provides greater specificity in reporting instead of categories. NIBRS collects the details of crime incidents; it allows much greater specificity in reporting. NIBRS has a new scoring category called “Crimes Against Society” to account for crimes such as drug and narcotic offenses, gambling offenses, pornography/obscene material, and prostitution offenses. They are not Crimes Against Persons as they do not actually involve a victim, nor are they Crimes Against Property because property is not the real object of the crimes (Author Unknown, 2013). Unlike UCR have two scoring categories: Crimes Against Persons (e.g., aggravated assault, murder, and forcible rape) where one offense is counted for each victim and Crimes Against Property (e.g., burglary, larceny-theft, and robbery) where one offense is counted for each distinct operation (Author Unknown,