The (mis)measure of race and ethnicity in crime data

The measurement of crime in the United States is one that has constantly evolved since national efforts began in 1930. However, the measurements of victim and offender characteristics, specifically race and ethnicity, have not developed at the same pace, nor as rapidly for crime data as it has for o...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: McCormack, Philip D. (Author)
Contributors: Clarke, Kaitlyn ; Walfield, Scott ; Spina, Francesca
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2023
In: Journal of ethnicity in criminal justice
Year: 2023, Volume: 21, Issue: 3, Pages: 251-273
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
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Keywords:
Census
Ethnicity
NIBRS
Race
UCR
crime reports
Description
Summary:The measurement of crime in the United States is one that has constantly evolved since national efforts began in 1930. However, the measurements of victim and offender characteristics, specifically race and ethnicity, have not developed at the same pace, nor as rapidly for crime data as it has for other fields. This paper examines two primary criminal justice data sources, the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) and the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and compares them for context to the United States Census. Analysis shows that the Census has continually expanded racial and ethnic categories while the crime data instruments have mostly refined them only by name. The paper concludes with suggestions for revision of the crime data collection instruments, specifically NIBRS, and a discussion of research and policy implications.
ISSN:1537-7946
DOI:10.1080/15377938.2023.2241404