Victims and offenders in two crime statistics programs: A comparison of the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) overcomes a basic limitation of the traditional summary Uniform Crime Reporting program (UCR) by collecting victim information. Using this new victim information to compare National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) and NIBRS results, we find some similarities as well as some differences in the characteristics of victims and offenders suggested by the two programs. Similarities appear in the proportions of men and women involved as victims and offenders for robbery and assault. Comparisons are more difficult and the proportions less similar for property offenses. Nevertheless, the results suggest that when the NIBRS is fully developed, it will be an important source of information on the characteristics of both victims and offenders. Even before the redesigned program is fully implemented, one of the most important features of NIBRS reports will be their ability to provide local area victimization information. In addition, the NIBRS will provide much more information on arrests and the characteristic of offenders than any existing program.