CCJ produces new report, “When Crime Statistics Diverge”

The Council on Criminal Justice has produced this helpful report to enhance understand of accoutnings of crime data under the title, “When Crime Statistics Diverge: Understanding the Two Major Sources of Crime Data in the U.S.”  The report is authoed by Janet Lauritsen and Ernesto Lopez, and here is how it summarizes its coverage:

This report highlights key differences between the nation’s two measures of crime, the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR), which tracks crimes reported to law enforcement authorities, and the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), an annual series of household interviews that captures offenses that are both reported and not reported to police. The report explores the strengths and limitations of the two sources, the similarities and differences in long-term and short-term trends they document, and the importance of considering both sources when assessing changes in crime over time.