The two main sources of crime data are self-report surveys and official records. Official records hold data about offenders and types of crime, typically coming from police departments from their National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) that reports the numbers of offenses called into 911. This data is then compiled into the Uniform Crime Report (UCR). While the UCR has data about the crime and the suspect, it does not address the victim, and it only discusses reported crime. In order to include victim information, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) administers a National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) to victims across the country.
The NCVS was originally designed to account for not only victim information but also for the issue …show more content…
Some strengths of the NCVS are that it helps to estimate the total number of crimes each year, not only the ones that are reported. It also helps to understand why crimes go unreported and therefore, what influences people to not report crimes. However good it may be to use, there are also some disadvantages. There may be over-reporting by victims or underreporting due to fear or the victims forgetting information over time. Also, there are always design flaws with the survey, possible misunderstanding by the survey taker, and sampling errors. The NCVS is also limited by budget since it is government funded.
Although both the UCR and the NCVS have their strengths and weaknesses, crime patterns tend to be consistent in both. Both can be used as indicators of crime trends, as well as changes in annual crime …show more content…
Crime patterns are also affected by location, day, season, and climate, temperature (crime increases in warmer months), and regional differences (urban cities versus a small town). Some criminologists believe that the location makes a big factor; however, others argue that it is not the location, but the socioeconomic status of the differing locations that makes a
The NCVS was originally designed to account for not only victim information but also for the issue …show more content…
Some strengths of the NCVS are that it helps to estimate the total number of crimes each year, not only the ones that are reported. It also helps to understand why crimes go unreported and therefore, what influences people to not report crimes. However good it may be to use, there are also some disadvantages. There may be over-reporting by victims or underreporting due to fear or the victims forgetting information over time. Also, there are always design flaws with the survey, possible misunderstanding by the survey taker, and sampling errors. The NCVS is also limited by budget since it is government funded.
Although both the UCR and the NCVS have their strengths and weaknesses, crime patterns tend to be consistent in both. Both can be used as indicators of crime trends, as well as changes in annual crime …show more content…
Crime patterns are also affected by location, day, season, and climate, temperature (crime increases in warmer months), and regional differences (urban cities versus a small town). Some criminologists believe that the location makes a big factor; however, others argue that it is not the location, but the socioeconomic status of the differing locations that makes a