Law Enforcement Improves Crime Data Reporting

by
posted on September 17, 2023
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Law Enforcement

Of the roughly 18,000 law enforcement agencies that protect and serve across the United States, 31 percent failed to submit 2022 crime data to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) database, according to a report last month from The Marshall Project, a nonpartisan, non-profit organization dedicated to publishing deeply researched stories and reports that expose the U.S. Criminal Justice System’s shortcomings and the need for improvement. That number is, however, a significant improvement compared to 2021’s non-participation figure of 40 percent.

When the information is provided, the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program compiles it into a comprehensive resource for tracking and fighting criminal activity. It’s also a valuable resource for law-abiding citizens, who can heighten their awareness by visiting the Bureau’s webpage where they can get more information on violent crime trends, drilled down to their state level. The UCR is widely cited as an authoritative source by the media—despite some of the nation’s largest departments chronically missing.

The biggest police departments that failed to submit information for the past two years, in descending order by number of residents, include New York City, Los Angeles, San Jose (Calif.) San Francisco, Tucson (Ariz.), Omaha (Neb.), Miami (Fla.), Oakland (Calif.), New Orleans (La.), Riverside (Calif.), Santa Ana (Calif.), Pittsburgh (Pa.), Orlando (Fla.), Fort Lauderdale (Fla.), Kansas City (Kansas) and Fresno (Calif.). Counties not reporting in 2021 and 2022 include Suffolk County (N.Y.), Nassau County (N.Y.), Hillsborough County (Fla.), Los Angeles County (Calif.) and Orange County (Fla.).

“Many criminologists fear the missing data means reliable crime rates will be unavailable later this decade,” the report explains. “When local police departments don’t report data to the FBI, examining local crime trends or comparing rates in different communities becomes impossible.”

While homicides and other violent crime can be, and often are, tracked by other means, UCR reports provide insights rarely available elsewhere. It compiles, for example, age of victims, where the incident occurred, relationship to the perpetrator and much more. The FBI began the analysis in 1930 and has vastly improved the information it provides and the ability to share it with the public. 

Latest

BATFE Report Dissects
BATFE Report Dissects

ATF Report Highlights Trends In NFA Sales, Manufacturing Numbers & More

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives recently released a 61 page “Firearm Commerce Updates and New Analysis” report. Figures included are up to and including 2023, the latest available.

Preview: Bastinelli R.E.D. Fixed Stone Washed

Designed for operators in the French National Police’s elite RAID tactical unit, the Bastinelli R.E.D. Fixed Stone Washed knife is also eminently useful for everyday carry ...

Mossberg Introduces SPX & Professional Models To 940 Pro Tactical Line

Mossberg has expanded its popular 940 Pro Tactical shotgun line with SPX and Professional models, with each adding a slate of upgraded components and accessories designed to enhance the shotgun's capabilities.

Preview: Streamlight Sidewinder X

This high-output, multi-fuel, military-style light with a tilting head is perfect for hunters and home defenders looking for more than just a handheld light...

The Armed Citizen® July 4, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

A Guide To Double-Stack 1911s

The 2011 brings double-stack capacity and modular upgrades to the 1911 platform, but not every wide-body 1911 out there earns that name.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.