Understanding Crime Statistics
Revisiting the Divergence of the NCVS and the UCR

This book examines recent changes in the UCR and the NCVS and assesses the effect of divergence.

James P. Lynch (Edited by), Lynn A. Addington (Edited by)

9780521862042, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 4 December 2006

356 pages, 28 tables
23.5 x 15.8 x 2.7 cm, 0.593 kg

'The time is ripe to revisit this topic, assess the convergence between the NCVS and UCR in the last 15 years, and apply critical thinking in examining sources of divergence. The individual chapters in this book are useful both as separate statements and as part of the overall discussion about crime statistics and their meaning. These original analyses will contribute to continuing discussions and debates about the validity and reliability of crime statistics.' Christy Visher, The Urban Institute

In Understanding Crime Statistics, Lynch and Addington draw on the work of leading experts on U.S. crime statistics to provide much-needed research on appropriate use of this data. Specifically, the contributors explore the issues surrounding divergence in the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) and the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which have been the two major indicators of the level and of the change in level of crime in the United States for the past 30 years. This book examines recent changes in the UCR and the NCVS and assesses the effect these have had on divergence. By focusing on divergence, the authors encourage readers to think about how these data systems filter the reality of crime. Understanding Crime Statistics builds on this discussion of divergence to explain how the two data systems can be used as they were intended - in complementary rather than competitive ways.

Introduction: 1. Introduction James P. Lynch and Lynn A. Addington
Part I. Overview of the Two National Measures of U.S. Crime: 2. Introduction to the National Crime Victimization Survey Michael Rand and Callie Rennison
3. Introduction to the Uniform Crime Reporting Program Cynthia Barnett-Ryan
Part II. Defining Divergence and Convergence: 4. What is convergence, and what do we know about it? David McDowall and Colin Loftin
Part III. Sources of Divergence in the NCVS: 5. Methodological change in the NCVS and the effect on convergence Shannan M. Catalano
6. Series victimizations and divergence Mike Planty
7. Exploring differences in estimates of visits to emergency rooms for injuries from assaults using the NCVS and NHAMCS Jacqueline Cohen and James P. Lynch
Part IV. Sources of Divergence in the UCR: 8. Using NIBRS to study methodological sources of divergence between the UCR and NCVS Lynn A. Addington
9. Explaining the divergence between UCR and NCVS aggravated assault trends Richard Rosenfeld
10. Missing UCR data and divergence of the NCVS and UCR trends Michael D. Maltz
Conclusion James P. Lynch and Lynn A. Addington.

Subject Areas: Crime & criminology [JKV]