05/14/2026
As NIBRS becomes the nation’s sole source of incident-level crime data, inconsistent analysis, classification, and counting practices are producing different answers to the same questions about crime. This presentation examines the consequences for the public, press, and policymakers—and outlines a path toward restoring comparability and trust in the data.
Topics include:
• How differing definitions of “violent crime” and counting units (incident, victim, offense) produce materially different totals from the same records.
• SEARCH’s strategy for strengthening NIBRS through shared analysis standards, source-level analysis, and standardized counting methodologies.
• Ongoing needs for investment in data science capacity, sustainable state funding, quality assurance standards, and audience-specific training.
Learn more and register at: As NIBRS becomes the nation’s sole source of incident-level crime data, inconsistent analysis, classification, and counting practices are producing different answers to the same questions about crime. This presentation examines the consequences for the public, press, and policymakers—and outlines a path toward restoring comparability and trust in the data.
Topics include:
• How differing definitions of “violent crime” and counting units (incident, victim, offense) produce materially different totals from the same records.
• SEARCH’s strategy for strengthening NIBRS through shared analysis standards, source-level analysis, and standardized counting methodologies.
• Ongoing needs for investment in data science capacity, sustainable state funding, quality assurance standards, and audience-specific training.
Learn more and register at: https://jirn.org/2026-jirn-virtual-conference/
