NCJ Number
142439
Date Published
Unknown
Length
17 pages
Annotation
The Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) of the Massachusetts Committee on Criminal Justice conducted a project to encourage implementation of the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS).
Abstract
The SAC provided technical assistance and grants to State and local law enforcement agencies, primarily local police departments and Massachusetts' Criminal History Systems Board. Grants were stratified according to number of offenses handled by police so that issues appropriate to both large and small departments were addressed. Grant recipients were monitored quarterly. Thirty police departments developed the capacity to provide NIBRS data as a direct result of the grants. The SAC also conducted a needs assessment of police management information systems. This assessment provided a baseline for monitoring implementation and identified software and hardware with which NIBRS would have to deal. In addition, group meetings were held with police chiefs and data processing staff and software vendors to educate them about the purposes and role of NIBRS. The NIBRS project had a positive impact on Massachusetts' criminal justice information system in ways other than just developing NIBRS software and data. It provided Uniform Crime Reporting data from police departments not participating before the project began, and involvement in NIBRS development expanded the capacity of some law enforcement agencies to analyze crime data. Once software vendors modified their programs to provide NIBRS data, they were able to offer it to other police departments as those agencies purchased new software or replaced old equipment and upgraded software. It was determined that software modification and costs to localities are the principal obstacles to further NIBRS implementation in Massachusetts. 6 references