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CRIMINAL STATISTICS

NCJ Number
10445
Author(s)
E DOLESCHAL
Date Published
Unknown
Length
30 pages
Annotation
EVALUATION AND STATE-OF-THE-ART SURVEY, INCLUDING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVED RAW DATA COMPILATION AND PROCESSING.
Abstract
THIS PAMPHLET CONSIDERS REQUIREMENTS OF CRIMINAL STATISTICS, AND DISCUSSES CRIME INDEXES AND COMPONENTS OF THE UNIFORM CRIME REPORT. THE BOOKLET PRESENTS AN EVALUATION OF POLICE STATISTICS BY INDIVIDUAL RESEARCHERS AND THE PRESIDENT'S COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN THE COMPILATION AND INTERPRETATION OF CRIMINAL STATISTICS IN EUROPE ARE INDICATED. PROPOSALS FOR IMPROVED CRIMINAL STATISTICS INCLUDE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MANDATORY CENTRAL REPORTING AGENCY, THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPECIAL CRIME CATEGORIES AND SEPARATE PERSON AND PROPERTY CRIMES, THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL CLASSIFICATIONS FROM PUBLIC CRIMINAL STATISTICS, AND THE CONSTRUCTION AND USE OF AN INDEX OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY TO MEASURE THE SERIOUSNESS OF OFFENSES. OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS STATED THAT CRIME DATA BE RELATED TO AGE, SEX, RACE, AND ECONOMIC STATUS, DATA ON UNREPORTED OFFENSES BE CONTINUOUSLY REVIEWED - USING VICTIM SURVEYS TO SUPPLEMENT THE UCR, AND A COMPLETE DATA SYSTEM BE MAINTAINED ON ALL PHASES OF THE CRIMINAL PROCESS FROM ARREST TO APPEAL.