NIBRS Estimation and Extract File Creation Methodology Report

• NCJ Number: 310516
• Author(s): Marcus Berzofsky, RTI International; Dan Liao, RTI International; G. Lance Couzens, RTI International; Ian Thomas, RTI International; Caroline Kery, RTI International; Kim Janda, RTI International; Mark Pope, RTI International
• Date Published: December 2025
• Length: 139 pages
• Grant Number(s): 15PBJS-22-GK-00713-BJSBS
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
• Corporate Author: RTI International
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Publication; Statistics
• Country: United States of America
• Note: The Bureau of Justice Statistics funded this third-party report. It is not a BJS report and does not release official government statistics. The report is released to help inform interested parties of the research or analysis contained within and to encourage discussion. BJS has performed a limited review of the report. Any statistics included in this report are not official BJS statistics unless they have been previously published in a BJS report. Any analysis, conclusions, or opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views, opinions, or policies of the Bureau of Justice Statistics or the U.S. Department of Justice.

Abstract

This BJS-funded report was produced by RTI International. It describes the methodology and procedures used by BJS to create the annual National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) National Estimates and Data Extract Files. Covering 12 key topic areas, the report describes the receipt and processing of NIBRS data from the FBI, as well as the data quality checks performed. It also outlines the procedures used for the NIBRS Estimation Program, including the indicators to be estimated, imputation, and weighting.