U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Statistics

Strategic Plan FY 2005-2008

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This file is text only without graphics and tables.
The full report including tables and graphics in
.pdf format is available from:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/bjssp08.pdf
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Introduction

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) was established
on December 27, 1979, under the Justice Systems
Improvement Act of 1979 as an amendment to the
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. 
Previous criminal justice statistical efforts were
authorized within the Law Enforcement Assistance
Administration created by the 1968 Act.  

As the statistical arm of the U.S. Department of Justice,
BJS is responsible for the collection, analysis,
publication, and dissemination of statistical information
on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the
operations of justice systems at all levels of government.

Since its inception, BJS has emerged as the principal
criminal justice statistical agency in the Nation.  BJS'
most fundamental accomplishment is providing
accurate, timely, and objective information to Federal,
State, and local policymakers, to assist them in
combating crime and ensuring that justice is both
efficient and evenhanded.  Whether through national
data collections or assistance to States and
communities, BJS is dedicated to improving the quality
of our national intelligence on crime and enhancing the
quality of the national  discourse concerning criminal
and civil justice.   

BJS is dedicated to developing, maintaining, and
disseminating all of its statistics in accordance with the
highest professional and statistical standards.  BJS has
long maintained the strongest commitment to integrity
and objectivity while striving to produce impartial, timely,
and accurate statistics as established in its governing
statute.  In carrying out its mission, BJS adheres to the
principles and practices established by the Federal
statistical community.   

BJS maintains over three dozen major statistical series
designed to cover every stage of the American criminal
and civil justice system.  BJS statistics are published
annually on the following topics: criminal victimization,
populations under correctional supervision, and Federal
criminal offenders and case processing.  

In addition to its annual series, BJS maintains periodic
data series that cover the following:
* the administration of law enforcement
agencies and correctional facilities 
* prosecutorial practices and policies
* State court case processing 
* felony convictions
* characteristics of correctional populations 
* criminal justice expenditure and employment 
* civil case processing in State courts
* special studies on other criminal justice topics. 

BJS provides financial and technical support to State
and local governments to develop their capabilities to
provide criminal justice statistics.  This BJS support
targets the development of information systems to foster
State participation in national statistical programs -- 
* implementing the National Incident-Based Reporting
System
* improving the accuracy, utility, and interstate
accessibility of criminal history records

* enhancing the availability and completeness of
records of protective orders involving domestic violence
and stalking 
* enhancing the availability of sex offender records
* improving automated identification systems and other
State systems supporting national records systems and
their use for background checks. 

------------------------------------------ 
Principles and Practices 
for a Federal Statistical Agency 

*  A clearly-defined and well-accepted mission

*  A strong position of independence

*  Continual development of more useful data

*  Openness about the data provided

*  Wide dissemination of data

*  Cooperation with data users

*  Fair treatment of data providers    

*  Commitment to quality and professional standards 
of practice

*  An active research program

*  Professional advancement of staff 

*  Coordination and cooperation with other statistical
agencies.
         

Source: Principles and Practices for a Federal
Statistical Agency, National Research Council ,
(National Academy Press, 3rd ed., 2005)
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BJS provides technical expertise on issues relating to
criminal records policy, covering topics such as State
criminal history record procedures and systems, privacy
and security standards, and interstate exchange of
criminal history records for noncriminal justice purposes.

Performance Mandate

In recent years, the Department, the Office of Justice
Programs, and the Federal Government in general,
have begun implementing performance-based management 
and budgeting.  At its core, performance-based 
management encourages organizations to focus on their 
mission, agree on goals, and report results -- a process 
which is designed to guide organizations toward improved 
performance.  Congress has mandated performance-based
management primarily through the enactment of the
Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 which 
requires agencies to identify their strategic goals
and the outcomes necessary to achieve these goals. 

Organization of the BJS Strategic Plan

The BJS Strategic Plan includes five components:

  I. Overview of recent crime and justice trends for
  purposes of identifying and measuring the problem

  II. Statement of BJS' mission, strategic goals, and
  performance measurement concepts 

  III. Description of each strategic goal and
  associated outcomes

  IV. Measures of BJS' operational efficiency
  
V. Description of the role of professional review in
strategic and program planning.
  
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Section I.  Overview of recent crime and justice
trends:  identifying and measuring the problem

Violence
Law Enforcement
Courts and Sentencing
Corrections
Tribal Justice
Federal Criminal Justice
Fairness in the Criminal Justice System
Justice-Related Expenditure and Employment
Criminal History Records
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I. Overview of recent crime and justice trends

As the national repository for statistical information on
crime and the administration of justice, BJS maintains
data on victimizations experienced by the public and the
response of the nearly 50,000 offices and agencies
which compose the criminal justice system.   

This section of the strategic plan briefly presents key
facts and nationwide trends.  BJS is a user of its own
data in carrying out program planning, development, and
implementation.  In order to successfully fulfill emerging
data needs and build long-term statistical series for
longitudinal and trend analyses, it is necessary to be
informed about the major developments in crime and
justice and challenges facing the justice system.  

Violence

Serious violent crime (murder, rape, robbery, and
aggravated assault) has continued to decline as
measured through both victim accounts and the number
of incidents reported to law enforcement agencies.  The
number of these violent crimes experienced by the
public in 2003 was the lowest recorded since 1973 when
BJS initiated collecting data from crime victims.

The per capita rate of homicide in 2002, about 5.6 per
100,000 persons, is one of the lowest recorded since
the mid-1960's.

In 2003, there were an estimated 367,000 serious
violent crimes in which the victim faced an offender
armed with a firearm, accounting for about 7% of all
serious violent crime.  In 2002, there were an estimated
10,808 murders with firearms, about 67% of all murders
that year.

About 5% of murders in 2002 were identified as
drug-related by local law enforcement agencies.  About
1 in 10 victims of violence believed the offender had
been using drugs at the time of the offense.  Based on
self-reports from probationers, jail inmates, and those
serving time in Federal and State prisons, an estimated
20% of convicted offenders had been using drugs at the
time they committed the offense for which they were
convicted.  This translates into about 1.1 million
offenders involved with the criminal justice system
nationwide.  Offender use of alcohol at the time of the
offense was described about twice as often as drug use
by both victims and offenders.

School crime  Data for the school year ending June 30, 
2000, indicate that there were 32 school-associated
violent deaths including 24 homicides and 8 suicides.  

During 2002, there were an estimated 88,000 serious
violent crimes against school children (ages 12-18) 
while at school and an estimated 309,000 away from 
school. 

Drugs and crime  About 5% of murders in 2002 were
identified as drug-related by local law enforcement
agencies. (Source: Crime in the United States, 2002,
FBI.) About 1 in 10 victims of violence believed the
offender had been using drugs at the time of the
offense. Drug use at the time of the offense was
common among convicted offenders: 14% of
probationers, 33% of State prisoners, 22% of Federal
prisoners, and 36% of local jail inmates self-reported
that they were under the influence of drugs when they
committed their offense. Offender use of alcohol at the
time of the offense was described about twice as often
as drug use by both victims and offenders. 

Law Enforcement

State and local law enforcement:  In 2000,
approximately 18,000 State and local law enforcement
agencies nationwide employed over 700,000 full-time
law enforcement officers.

In 2002, State and local law enforcement agencies
made about 14 million arrests; of these, nearly 1.5
million were for drug violations (11%), 621,000 
were for violent crimes (5%), and 164,000 (1%) were 
for weapons violations.  

Federal law enforcement:  In 2002 Federal law
enforcement agencies employed more than 93,000
persons with arrest powers and authority to carry a
firearm.

In 2001, Federal law enforcement officers made almost
119,000 arrests; of these, 33,589 (29%) were for drug
violations, 6,007 were for weapons offenses (5%), and
about 4,850 (4%) were for violent crimes. 

Forensic crime laboratories:  During 2002, there were a 
total of 351 crime labs in the nation:  203 state or 
regional labs, 65 county, 50 municipal and 33 federal 
labs in the U.S. with a total of about 9,400 full-time 
employees. 

Nationwide, crime laboratories received about 2.7 million
requests for forensic laboratory services and were able to
process just under 2.5 million of these requests in 2002.

In 2002 the backlog grew from about 290,000 pending
requests for laboratory services at the beginning of the 
year to just over 500,000 at the end of the year -- about 
two-thirds of the growth in backlogged requests was due to 
pending analyses to determine the presence of a controlled 
substance.

Courts and Sentencing 

Criminal case processing:  State courts convict an
average of about 1 million persons of a felony each
year.  Violent felonies accounted for about 19% of the
total conviction caseload, property offenses comprise
31% of all felony convictions, drug offenses make up
32% of those convicted of felonies, and weapons
offenses are just over 3%.

An estimated 95% of persons convicted of a felony
pleaded guilty.  In State courts, the average time
between arrest and sentencing for a felony offense was
184 days.

Criminal sentencing:  Of those convicted of felonies,
41% are sentenced to prison, 28% to a term in a local
jail, and 31% receive a sentence to probation.  In 2002,
the average (mean) prison term imposed by State courts
after conviction for a felony was 53 months -- for violent
offenses the average sentence was 84 months, for
property offenses the average sentence was 41 months,
48 months on average was imposed after conviction for
a drug felony, and weapons offenders received an
average term of 38 months. 

Civil trials in State courts:  Civil cases disposed of by
trial in State courts of general jurisdiction located in 
the Nation's 75 largest counties have declined 47% from
22,451 trials in 1992 to 11,908 trials in 2001.

Corrections

Correctional population:  At yearend 2003, nearly 6.9
million people were on probation, in jail or prison, or on
parole. About 3.2% of all U.S. adult residents or 1 in
every 32 adults were under correctional supervision at
yearend 2003, compared to 2.7% of the population in
1995.

Prison population:  The total number of prisoners under
the jurisdiction of Federal and State adult correctional
authorities was 1,470,045 at yearend 2003. From
yearend 1995 to yearend 2003 the Nation's prison
population grew on average 3.4% a year.  There were
an estimated 482 prison inmates per 100,000 U.S.
residents, up from 411 at yearend 1995.

Capital punishment:  The number of prisoners under
sentence of death at yearend 2003 decreased for the
third consecutive year, the first decreases in this
population since capital punishment was reinstated in
1977. At yearend 2003, 37 States and the Federal
prison system held 3,374 prisoners under sentence of
death, 188 fewer than at yearend 2002. Eleven States
and the Federal Government carried out 65 executions
in 2003, 6 fewer than the year before.

Jail population:  In 2003, 691,301 inmates were held in
the more than 3,000 local jails nationwide. From 1990 to
2003, the number of jail inmates per 100,000 U.S.
residents rose from 163 to 238. From midyear 2002 to
midyear 2003, the 12-month increase of 3.9% in the jail
population was similar to the average annual increase of
4.0% since 1995.

Probation and parole population:  The 1.5% growth in
the probation and parole population during 2003 -- an
increase of almost 73,574 during the year -- was about
half the average annual growth of 2.9% since 1995. At
the end of 2003, among the 4,073,987 offenders on
probation, 49% had been convicted for committing a
felony, 49% for a misdemeanor, and 2% for other
infractions. 

Among the 774,588 adults on parole, 95% had served
time for a felony offense and 5% for a misdemeanor.

Recidivism:  BJS studied the rearrest, reconviction, 
and reincarceration of 272,111 former inmates who were
tracked for 3 years after their release from prison. 
The former inmates, discharged in 1994 from 15 States,
represent two-thirds of all prisoners  released in the
United States that year.
 
Released prisoners with the highest rearrest rates were
robbers (70.2%), burglars (74.0%), larcenists (74.6%),
motor vehicle thieves (78.8%), those in prison for
possessing or selling stolen property (77.4%), and those
in prison for possessing, using, or selling illegal
weapons (70.2%). Within 3 years 2.5% of released
rapists were arrested for another rape, and 1.2% of
those who had served time for homicide were arrested
for a new homicide.

As part of the study, BJS tracked 9,691 male sex
offenders following their release from prison in 1994.
Within 3 years following their release, 5.3% of sex
offenders (men who had committed rape or sexual
assault) were rearrested for another sex crime. 
Compared to non-sex offenders released from State
prisons, released sex offenders were 4 times more 
likely to be rearrested for a sex crime.

Tribal Justice 

American Indians experience violent crime at a much
higher rate than members of any other racial groups in
the United States. The average annual violent crime rate
among American Indians from 1992 to 2001 (101 per
1,000 persons age 12 or older) was about 2.5 times the
national rate (41 per 1,000 persons). 

American Indians were victims of aggravated assault
(25 per 1,000 persons age 12 or older), which is 2.5
times higher than the national rate (9 per 1,000), 
nearly double the rate for blacks (13 per 1,000) and 3 
times that of whites (8 per 1,000). 

The majority (66%) of American Indian victims of violent
crimes described the offender as either white or black.

Federal Criminal Justice

Criminal case processing: In 2002, U.S. Attorneys
opened matters for investigation against 124,335
suspects.  Of these, 31% were investigated for drug
offenses, 9% for weapons offenses, and 5% for violent
offenses.  About 14% of all suspects were investigated
for immigration violations.  About 3 out of 4 suspects
were referred for prosecution or disposed by U.S.
Magistrates.

During 2002, criminal cases were commenced against
87,727 defendants in district courts.  Thirty-five percent
of these defendants were charged with a drug offense
and 15% were charged with an immigration violation. 
Among Federal defendants whose cases terminated
during the year (80,424), 89% were convicted.  Among
those convicted, 96% pleaded guilty or no-contest.

Criminal sentencing: Among convicted defendants in
2002, 75% received a sentence to imprisonment.  The
average prison term imposed was 57 months. 
Weapons felonies (84 months), violent felonies (89
months), and drug felonies (76 months) received the
longest average sentences.

During 2002, the Federal Bureau of Prisons received
just over 50,400 inmates from district courts and slightly
more than 17,000 from other sources including
supervision violators.  Federal inmates entering from
district courts could expect to serve 88% of the sentence
they received.

Fairness in the Criminal Justice System

In 2002 an estimated 45 million persons age 16 or older
had a contact with a police officer. About 40% of those
contacts involved a traffic stop. The likelihood of being
stopped by police in 2002 was about the same for white
(8.7%), black (9.1%), and Hispanic (8.6%) drivers. 
Following the stop, black and Hispanic drivers were
more likely to be searched or to have their vehicles
searched than white drivers. 

Comparison of what victims report in BJS surveys and
what police report in arrest data for the FBI reveal a
close correspondence in the distribution of offender
characteristics (race, sex, and age).

Justice-Related Expenditure and Employment

In 2001 Federal, State, and local governments spent
$167 billion for operations and outlay of police
protection, corrections, and judicial and legal activities.
This represents a 366% increase from $36 billion in
1982 (a 165% increase in constant dollars). 

In 2001 the Federal expenditure of $30 billion on the
justice system accounted for 18% of the total; in 1982
the Federal share was 12%. 

The total number of justice-related employees grew 81%
between 1982 and 2001. State governments had the
largest percentage increase (117%).

Criminal History Records

Between FY 1995 and FY 2004, BJS distributed nearly
$470 million to the States to support improvements to
State records systems which would permit participation
in national background check systems for point-of-sale
firearms sales, sex offender registries, national
protection order files, and automated fingerprint
identification systems.

At the close of 2003, States and the FBI maintained
criminal history records on approximately 68 million
individuals.  Of these, over 50 million records were
available for interstate background checks.

Since the initiation of the BJS National Criminal History
Record Improvement Program (NCHIP) in 1995, the
number of criminal records has increased 35%, and the
number of records which are now shareable among the
States increased 97%. 

BJS estimates that between March 1, 1994, and
December 31, 2003, about 1.1 million, or 2.1% of all
applications to purchase firearms have been rejected
from among the 53 million applications received.

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Section II.  Bureau of Justice Statistics:
Mission and strategic vision

BJS Mission
BJS Strategic Goals
Performance Measurement
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II. Mission and Strategic Vision

BJS Mission

The central purpose of BJS is described in its enabling
legislation (42 USC secsec 3731-3735).  This statutory
statement of purpose has been operationalized by BJS
into the following mission statement:

It is the mission of BJS to collect, process, analyze, and
disseminate accurate and timely information on crime
and the administration of justice and to assist States and
localities to improve criminal justice record-keeping. 

BJS Strategic Goals

In fulfilling its mission, BJS produces statistics and
supports assistance programs which are used to guide
and inform Federal, State, and local policymaking on
crime and the administration of justice.  This
encompasses the following set of strategic goals:

Strategic Goal 1   To produce national statistics on
crime and the administration of justice that facilitate
measurement over time and across geographic areas.

Strategic Goal 2   To improve record-keeping by State
and local governments and to improve the ability of
States and localities to produce statistics on crime and
the administration of justice.

Strategic Goal 3   To ensure public access to statistics
and criminal justice data. 
 
Performance Measurement

According to a panel convened by the  Interagency Council
for Statistical Policy (ICSP), the consortium of Federal
statistical agencies, "the relationship between statistical
program outputs and their beneficial uses and outcomes is
often complex and difficult to track."  The panel noted that
there are primarily two kinds of outcomes associated with
statistical work, (1) identifying or tracking the performance 
of indicators which are important for public policy, and (2)
contributing to the decision-making process with respect to
the mission of government and the public.

The output of a statistical agency is information which,
most often consists of statistics, analyses, forecasts,
or research.  BJS performance measures are
conceptualized to satisfy three major elements or
components to an information-generating activity: how
well was the activity operationalized, how well did the
activity do in generating the desired knowledge, and
how well did the activity meet the needs of users and
policymakers.  Each goal, therefore, has three sets of
measures associated with it: measures of operational
outcome, measures of educational outcomes, and
measures of evaluative outcome.

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U.S. Department of Justice and Office of Justice
Programs: Mission Statements 

By carrying out its fundamental purpose to provide
accurate and objective information to Federal, State,
and local policymakers, BJS inherently supports the
missions of the Department and the Office of Justice
Programs and the strategic goals and objectives as
established under the Department's Strategic Plan.

Department of Justice

The mission of the Department of Justice is "...to
enforce the law and defend the interests of the United
States according to the law; to ensure public safety
against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal
leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek
just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior;
and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice
for all Americans."

Office of Justice Programs

The mission of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is
"To provide federal leadership in developing the nation's
capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, 
and assist crime victims."
-----------------------------------------------

Measuring the output of a statistical agency often entails 
both quantitative and qualitative performance measures.  
While BJS' performance measures tend to emphasize measurable
achievements, there are many indices describing performance
which may not be easily quantified.  For example, citation of
BJS data with respect to major legal issues and significant
court cases may be more important than the frequency of such
citations.  In addition, issues of integrity and trustworthiness
associated with statistical data are not easy to measure. 
Finally, BJS data often play a direct role in policy
development which cannot be characterized with traditional
quantitative methods for cataloguing performance.  BJS,
along with other statistical agencies, endorses the concept 
of reporting the achievement of final outcomes by
documenting examples that demonstrate use of agency
data. An illustration of uses of BJS data can be found in
Attachments A and B.  

In its largest single grant program activity - the National
Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) - BJS 
uses a large number of measurement activities to
provide estimates of the effectiveness of the National
Instant Background Check System (NICS) in stopping
prohibited firearms purchasers.  

In addition, there are collected in each State numerous
recurring measures of record quality which identify
progress in record improvement and serve as the basis
for subsequent year funding allocations.

Other BJS grant activities encompass support to the
States for the centralization of State statistical functions
in a Statistical Analysis Center (SAC).  BJS monitors
SAC program performance by tracking the research and
evaluation portfolios maintained by the State SACs.  In
addition, BJS provides limited grant funds for a variety
of technical assistance, privacy research, and other
activities related to statistical issues and concerns.

Measuring an agency's achievements related to
providing public access of its data and statistics
centers on the creation of customer satisfaction -- 
and the elimination of dissatisfaction -- among all the
audiences for BJS numbers, as measured by continuous 
surveys and monitoring of feedback. These consumers 
include the research and academic community, all 
components of the media, State and city officials from 
jurisdictions of all sizes, and their Federal counterparts.  

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Section III.  Strategic Goals and outcome measures

Goal 1.  Produce statistics on crime and
justice

1.1   Measures of Operational Outcomes
Major statistical series conducted
Levels of accuracy and operational coverage
Levels of reliability and validity

1.2   Measures of Educational Outcomes 
  
Measuring data utilization
Measuring report utilization

1.3  Measures of Evaluative Outcomes
Measuring temporal change
Measuring spatial variation

Goal 2.  Improving criminal records and local statistics

2.1  Measures of Operational Outcomes
Status of criminal history records and interface
between States and national system
Status of National Incident-Based Reporting  
System implementation

2.2  Measures of Educational Outcomes
Provide technical assistance for improved statistical
reporting

2.3  Measures of Evaluative Outcomes
Effectiveness of criminal history record system
improvements

Goal 3.  Ensuring public access to data and statistics

3.1  Measures of Operational Outcomes
Products and services available
                       
3.2  Measures of Educational Outcomes
Addressing customer needs
         
3.3  Measures of Evaluative Outcomes
Measuring customer satisfaction
--------------------------------------------

Strategic Goal 1.  Produce statistics on crime and
justice

BJS carries out this goal through a series of recurring
statistical programs covering criminal victimization, law
enforcement, prosecution, courts and sentencing,
corrections, Federal justice, and tribal justice.  BJS also
provides data needed by other OJP components for use
in formula-based grant programs or other program
initiatives involving State or local crime and justice data. 

Victimization statistics  The National Crime
Victimization Survey (NCVS) collects data from a
nationally representative sample that contacts
approximately 42,000 households comprising nearly
76,000 persons on the impact, frequency and
consequences of criminal victimization. Survey data,
collected through more than 100,000 interviews
annually, reveal the number of rapes, sexual assaults,
robberies, assaults, thefts, household burglaries and
motor vehicle thefts U.S. residents and their households
experience each year.  

The NCVS provides details on victims and offenders and the 
circumstances under which they come together and the 
contingencies of crime, such as weapon use, place and time 
of occurrence, costs of crime, and perceived alcohol and
drug use by the offender.

The NCVS enables BJS to conduct small-area analyses
and to study discrete population segments. In addition,
NCVS serves as a national platform for measuring
school crime, workplace violence, racial profiling, and
other topical concerns and has been enhanced to
capture data on hate crime, computer crime, and crime
against the disabled.  It provides the largest forum for
victims to describe their experiences of victimization, the
impact of crime, and the characteristics of violent
offenders. 

The public uses the information provided in these
reports to better understand the extent and nature of
crime, to evaluate their susceptibility to crime and to
learn how to avoid placing themselves into situations
that may increase their vulnerability to crime.  Policy
makers use the data from these reports to develop laws,
policies, and programs to combat or prevent crime.  The
media rely on NCVS data as one of the most reliable
sources of crime statistics in the Nation, and
researchers rely on these reports as benchmarks for
their own research findings.  The NCVS has been
continuously conducted since 1973. 

Law enforcement statistics  This data collection is the
only source for complete national counts of law
enforcement personnel in the United States.  It also
provides information on the primary duties and the
operations of law enforcement agencies and forensic
crime laboratories across the Nation.

BJS collects and analyzes sample data drawn to
represent over 18,000 law enforcement agencies
nationwide on the organization and administration of
police and sheriffs' departments.  Censuses of Federal,
State, and local law enforcement agencies are
conducted periodically, as well as a survey of campus
law enforcement agencies. These programs allow for
the examination of changes over time in staffing levels,
minority and female representation among officers,
officer education and training requirements, operating
budgets, salaries and special pay for officers, UCR
crime rates, type of special units operated, drug
enforcement activities, sidearm and armor policies, type
and number of vehicles operated, and new technologies
being employed.  The data are used by law enforcement
agencies nationwide to provide systematic comparative
information.

Surveys of DNA and forensic crime laboratories provide
national data on the personnel, budgets and
expenditures, workloads, equipment, and procedures
and policies of these publicly operated laboratories.  In
addition, BJS collects information from the public about
the nature and outcomes of their interactions with law
enforcement officers, including data on traffic stops and
use of force. This program has been of signal
importance to the COPS program, the bullet-proof vest
program, and other programs across OJP which require
management and administrative data on the operations
of these agencies.  Data collected on traffic stops and
use of force, as well as the operations of law
enforcement training academies have been used by
Police Corps, COPS, and other components in the
Department.  The collection of administrative data from
law enforcement agencies began in 1986.

Prosecution statistics   BJS collects data on
resources, policies, and practices of local prosecutors
from a nationally representative sample of chief
prosecutors who handle felony cases in State courts. 
These data cover a variety of topics including the use of
innovative prosecution techniques, intermediate
sanctions, plea bargaining and work-related assaults
and threats.  This collection provides data on temporal
change in the administration of prosecution activities
and the emerging types of cases and knowledge now
required (such as DNA and computer crime), and it
documents the costs associated with prosecution
activities.  This data collection has been ongoing since
1974.  

Courts and sentencing statistics  BJS provides data
on the following:

*  State court sentencing of convicted felons, including
demographic characteristics of felons, conviction
offenses, types of sentences, sentence lengths, and
length of time from arrest to conviction and sentencing
(ongoing since 1986)
  
*  criminal justice processing of persons charged with
felonies, including demographic characteristics, arrest
offense, criminal justice status at time of arrest, prior
arrests and convictions, bail and pretrial release, court
appearance record, rearrests while on pretrial release,
type and outcome of adjudication, disposition, and type
and length of sentence (ongoing since 1974)
  
*  State-by-State data on civil and criminal workload in
all State and local courts including case type, case
filings, case processing, disposition, and appellate
opinions (ongoing since 1975).  In 2002 BJS, with
funding from the Office on Violence Against Women,
began a statistical series to gather domestic violence
case-processing data.

The data series provide the only national source of
information on judicial decision-making and the manner
in which cases are managed and adjudicated as they
traverse the justice system.  

Through this collection, BJS prospectively tracks felons
from arrest through final disposition in order to
determine the outcomes of case decision-making at
each decision-point in the justice system.  Estimates are
provided on the number of persons convicted of a felony
in State courts nationwide during the year, the different
types of sentences they receive, the demographic
characteristics of the convicted felons, and the
sentences received by type of offense.  

This collection represents the only national data on time
required from arrest to conviction, on sentencing by jury
and bench trials, and detailed information on defendants
sentenced after entering a plea.

Federal justice statistics   BJS provides annual data
on workload, activities, and outcomes associated with
Federal criminal cases collected from the Executive
Office of U.S. Attorneys, the Federal Pretrial Services
Agency, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the
U.S. Sentencing Commission, and the Federal Bureau
of Prisons. The Federal Justice Statistics Program
(FJSP) provides a key benefit to DOJ in that it is the only
source for combined data from both the Executive and
Judicial branches on the handling of Federal offenders. 
These data are heavily utilized by DOJ (particularly the
Office of Legal Policy and the Criminal Division) for
planning initiatives, evaluating performance, and setting
budget priorities.  The website for these data permits
additional customized analyses and has been a
continuing source of District-level data on Federal
justice.  This statistical series has been ongoing since
1980.

Corrections statistics  Information is provided on
correctional populations and facilities gathered from
Federal, State, and local governments, and covers the
major components of the corrections system --
probation, jails, prisons, and parole.  The corrections
program consists of the following:  

*  annual and midyear counts of incarcerated persons in
State and Federal prisons and local jails (ongoing since
1850 and 1933, respectively) 

*  annual counts and characteristics of persons entering
or exiting probation and parole (ongoing since 1965)

*  annual statistics on persons admitted to or released
from State and Federal prisons and on persons released
from parole supervision (ongoing since 1926)
  
*  annual counts and characteristics of persons
sentenced to death (ongoing since 1930) 
  
*  data on deaths of offenders in custody (ongoing since
2000) 
  
*  quinquennial surveys of prison and jail inmates and
adult probationers (ongoing since 1974)
  
*  censuses of State and local correctional facilities and
parole and probation agencies (ongoing since 1970) 
  
*  the study of recidivism of State prisoners (ongoing
since 1983).  

These series detail information on the resources and
demand for correctional sanctions and are highly valued
by both policymakers and the practitioner community for
the capability to introduce consistent measures of
correctional activity.  These data have been used by
every component in OJP and have been heavily used by
divisions of the U.S. Department of Justice including the
Criminal Division and the Office of Legal Policy.

Tribal justice statistics   BJS supports development of
statistics on crime and the administration of justice in
Indian country.  The work in tribal statistics is designed
to fill an informational gap by pursuing diverse efforts,
including the following: 

*  Criminal victimization studies in three American Indian
jurisdictions with special emphasis on the role of alcohol
in violent crime victimizations and the characteristics of
domestic violence incidents.

*  Census of tribal justice agencies in Indian country is
the first comprehensive data collection to identify tribal
justice in Indian Country, the services provided by the
agencies, and other information concerning court
systems and law enforcement.
 
*  The annual survey of jails in Indian country obtains
data from all 70 confinement facilities, detention centers,
and jails operated by tribal authorities or the Bureau of
Indian Affairs.  
 
*  The Tribal Criminal History Improvement Program
began in 2004 as a pilot program.  The program
supports the development of complete, updated, and
accurate criminal history records for individuals in Indian
country. 

Justice expenditure and employment   BJS provides
expenditure and employment data from Federal, State,
and local criminal justice agencies nationwide.   This
series includes National and State-by-State estimates of
government expenditures and employment for the
following justice categories: police protection, all judicial
functions (including prosecution, courts, and public
defense), and corrections.  The justice employment and
expenditure data are the Nation's only source for
tracking the Nation's financial commitment to the justice
system.  These data are used to support all major
formula programs in OJP and by other by Federal, State
and local officials to assess their relevant justice costs
in terms of financial and human resources.  This
statistical series has been ongoing since 1972.  

International statistics  Through the International
Statistics Program, BJS cooperates with other
countries and the United Nations to improve the
collection of statistics on crime and criminal justice
systems.  A long-term goal is to enable cross-national
comparisons and examination of the relationship
between crime trends in the United States and those
in other countries.  

World Factbook of Criminal Justice Systems provides
narrative descriptions of the criminal justice systems
of 45 countries. These descriptions, available
electronically through the BJS Internet site, are written
to a common template to facilitate comparisons.

Drugs, alcohol, and crime  Many of BJS' ongoing
statistical data series collect drug and alcohol-related
information, including data on victim perception of
offender substance use; drug-related programs of
State and local police agencies; adjudication and
sentencing of drug offenders at the Federal and State
level; and inmate past drug and alcohol use,
substance use at the time of the offense, and
participation in substance abuse treatment programs.
The Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics
presents data on drug use in the general population,
on public opinion toward drugs, and on enforcement
of drug laws.  A complete online reference to statistics
on drugs and crime is accessible on the BJS website.

Improving the quality of justice data  BJS conducts,
supports, and implements methodological and statistical
research and initiatives designed to improve the quality
and coverage of justice statistics, records, and
information systems.  These activities include assessing
the technology and legislative status of criminal history
and other record systems and participating in the
development and implementation of privacy, security,
and information policies which impact on Federal and
State operational and statistical activities. 

Statistical methodological research
Under the aegis of the American Statistical
Association (ASA), BJS administers a methodological
research program designed to foster improvements in
the methods used to obtain, analyze, and report national
level data on crime and criminal justice.  BJS supports
studies designed to yield new insights to affect current
practice in areas such as developing the methods,
definitions, and protocols to obtain nationally
representative data; analyzing longitudinal data to
examine reporting variations and their effects on
estimates of national rates; and examining new ways of
addressing missing and incomplete data.  

The BJS Visiting Fellows Program selects
researchers to come to Washington, D.C., to conduct
crime-related studies using the agency's rich array of
datasets and software. BJS Visiting Fellows interact with
BJS staff and gain first-hand knowledge of some of the
most recent developments in the field of criminal justice
statistical research.   

Justice information and privacy      
Technological development has raised new questions
about privacy policy relevant to justice records and
systems.  To meet these needs, BJS has for over 20
years supported a privacy program to identify and
analyze the privacy impact of changes in the systems
environment, to provide a forum for the discussion of
these issues, and to develop standards which may be
applicable to the collection, 
maintenance, and dissemination of criminal record data. 
BJS provides technical expertise to States in
implementing privacy regulations governing access to
criminal justice data.  Primary emphasis is on accuracy
and completeness of records, limitations on
dissemination, commingling of juvenile and adult
records, data auditing techniques, and the interstate
exchange of records.  Technical expertise has been
provided since 1972.

Strategic Goal 1.   Produce statistics on crime and
justice

1.1 Measures of Operational Outcomes

I.  Major statistical series conducted

BJS carries out over three dozen separate data
collection programs covering crime and the
administration of justice.  These series generally recur
at specific intervals in order to facilitate trend analysis. 
In general, all BJS recurring and core programs are
considered to be a part of the statistical portfolio,
regardless of whether a collection is occurring in a
particular fiscal or calendar year.  The following
outcome measures are used to assess the
implementation of these series:

Core and recurring series conducted The number of
data collection series scheduled to be conducted during
a particular calendar year and the number actually
conducted. 

Special analyses conducted   BJS periodically
conducts special collections or analyses for specific
purposes, such as a collaborative effort with other
Federal agencies or fulfilling a congressional
mandate.  The number of special analyses conducted
is maintained as an indicator of the utility of specific
datasets for unanticipated requirements.

II.  Data quality and accuracy 

BJS establishes standards and collection protocols for
each statistical program.  These methodological
considerations are the best gauge of the quality of the
data ultimately produced.  Outcome measures
systematically examined for each statistical program
are:

Resident-level response rate   Calculated as the
percentage of respondents who voluntarily participate in
the BJS data collection activity. Changes in response
rates indicate a change in the willingness of respondents
to participate in the data collection program.  Reductions
in response rate may result in increased project costs
due to more extensive follow-up to attempt to secure
participation.

Agency-level response rate 
Calculated as the percentage of agencies which
voluntarily participate in the BJS data collection activity. 
Changes in response rates indicate a change in the
willingness of respondents to participate in the data
collection program.  Reductions in response rate may
result in increased project costs due to more extensive
follow-up measures needed to secure adequate
participation.

Sampling coverage   The probability of being selected
to be in a representative sample.  Changes in the
probability of selection directly affect the size of the 
error associated with estimates derived from sample data 
and key determinants of the reliability and precision of 
the sample data.  The sample must also be evaluated to
ensure its representativeness if it is to be considered
valid.    

Sources of non-sampling error
Non-sampling error is attributable to a wide variety of
sources and BJS must continually examine the impact
on sample estimates of factors which are external to the
data collection process but which may affect estimates. 
The ability of respondents to recall or record information,
tendencies to telescope incidents, or failure to be able to
describe certain contingencies of an incident in terms of
the categories being asked are examples of non-sampling 
errors about which BJS must be concerned.  For example, the 
NCVS sampling procedures utilize a panel design which means 
that the same households may be in samplefor up to 3 years.  
A source of non- sampling error would be conditioning of
respondents not to describe victimizations because of
their experience that such descriptions trigger a series
of additional questions and a lengthier interview.

Extent of imputation for missing data   When BJS
establishes that a reliable and valid data collection
procedure has been used, it is necessary to address the
problem of missing data because not every respondent
will complete every item on a data collection inventory. 
Imputation is normally done through a ratio adjustment
where the distribution of known responses is applied to
the responses for which data are missing.  BJS must
continuously monitor problems of missing data,
ascertain the reasons, and determine the optimal
procedure for imputing the value to a case.  The amount
of missing data is an important indicator of the quality
and utility of the data collected.

Issuance of errata notices   BJS maintains a period of
several weeks between report release and the final
printing of a report.  During that period, errors in text 
or data may be discovered which remained undetected
during the verification process.  Prior to printing such
errors can be corrected.  Occasionally, errors may
appear in a final version of a report.  In such cases, BJS
issues an errata sheet and notes the modification on the
electronic version of the report.  Proper management of
statistical releases requires BJS to examine the reasons
for such errors and verification improvement which may
be needed.

III.  Reliability and validity

BJS places a high emphasis on the reliability and utility
of the data collected.  In addition, a core value of BJS is
that all data should be accessible and replicable. 
Outcome measures include:    

Ratio of estimated coefficient of variation (CV) to
actual estimates of error calculated from the sample
data   At the time of sample development, BJS
establishes a threshold for the precision of the data
collection activity to be undertaken.  This decision is a
key determinant of the size of the sample needed.  BJS
must continuously evaluate year-to-year changes in CV
to assess changing levels of precision in sample
surveys.  Decreasing precision, which is usually the
result of budget reductions, is a major concern for
recurring estimates of both the magnitude and rate of
occurrence of what is being estimated.

Number of valid complaints received under BJS
Data Quality Guidelines   BJS makes available a
complaint facility through our website for data and
statistics users to offer complaints and suggestions
indicating errors or other presentational problems or
analytic non-duplicability. 

Strategic Goal 1.   Produce statistics on crime and
justice

1.2 Measures of Educational Outcomes

I.  Measuring data utilization

BJS data releases are intended for wide distribution and
use.  Data and statistics are made available in a variety
of formats including traditional paper, electronic datasets
and files, on-demand tabular presentations, and
archived data and spreadsheets. In addition, detailed
files and analytic setups are made available to ensure
complete documentation of all public-use data. 
Outcome measures include:

Use of online data system   The number of user
accessions to the BJS Data Online are counted with a
particular emphasis on identifying user interest and
priorities with respect to specific data sources and
collection programs.  

Downloads from BJS spreadsheets BJS currently
maintains an inventory of over 7,500 staff-generated
spreadsheets covering current and historical data on
crime and the administration of justice.  The frequency
of use for individual spreadsheets are measured to
assess user interests.

Use of BJS Data Analysis System at the Criminal
Justice Data Archive  The Data Analysis System
permits users to replicate and extend BJS report
findings.  The Archive gathers systematic data on
customer use of BJS datasets.

Requests for public use datasets/ documentation  
Number of requests to BJS or the Archive for datasets
and documentation either directly via download or by
other means.

II.  Measuring report utilization

BJS reports, both electronic and in paper, CD or other
format, receive wide distribution.  Current usage of the
website shows up to 20,000 users per day with multiple
locations visited and multiple document downloads
occurring per user visit.  Outcome measures include the
following:

Number of electronic and paper copies distributed 
BJS measures the distribution of reports annually.
Number of bulk order document requests   Data on
large user requests provide a measure of the distribution
of documents among primarily educational users and
institutions. 

Strategic Goal 1. Produce statistics on crime and
justice

1.3 Measures of Evaluative Outcomes

I.  Measuring temporal change

A major responsibility for any statistical agency is to
generate measures of variables of interest over time. 
Prisoner counts, for example, have been conducted
since 1850 by the Federal government.  Outcome
measures include:

Number of reports providing temporal change
measures   This represents a key measure of activity
for BJS as describing changes over time in rates and
levels of criminal events or workload of the criminal
justice system is a basic responsibility.

Number of reports examining multi-year data
aggregations   Multi-year data aggregations or topical
aggregations represent a set of procedures used by BJS
with sample data for ensuring periodic information on
low- rate events or small subgroups of the population.

II.  Measuring spatial variation

Geographic distributions of criminal activity have long
been a concern.  The first prisoners report in 1850
provided the per capita rates of imprisonment for each
State and territory.  Outcome measures include the
following:

Number of reports providing spatial variation
measures   This represents a key measure of activity
for BJS as describing changes and differences across
geographic areas in rates and levels of criminal events
or workload of the criminal justice system is a basic
responsibility.

Number of reports examining geographic
disaggregations   BJS  provides relevant data, where
budget permits, for sub-national geographic units.  This
may require the development of new procedures, such
as rolling multi-year data from self-representing
sampling units together, to be able to detect certain
geographic trends and differences. 
Strategic Goal 2.  Improving criminal records and
local statistics

BJS' enabling legislation focuses not only on national
statistics, but on systems to support the development of
data systems for states and local communities calling
for "primary emphasis to the problems of state and local
justice systems."  Thus the Bureau recognizes the
objectives of improving the quality and coverage of such
systems and supporting the entire statistical research
and development process for critical analysis and
criminal record utilization.   

Improving Criminal History Records 

BJS has been assisting States to improve their criminal
records since 1972.  In 1994, the Brady Handgun
Violence Prevention Act provided a national grant
program, the National Criminal History Improvement
Program (NCHIP). 

National Criminal History Improvement Program   The
goals of the NCHIP program are to ensure that accurate
records are available for use in law enforcement,
including sex offender registry requirements, and to
permit States to identify ineligible firearm purchasers,
persons ineligible to hold positions involving children, 
the elderly, or the disabled, and persons subject to
protective orders or wanted, arrested, or convicted of
stalking and/or domestic violence.  Recent emphasis
has been placed on anti-terrorism and homeland
security issues related to the use of criminal history
records.

Direct funding and technical assistance are provided to
States to:

*  improve the quality, timeliness, and immediate
accessibility of criminal history and related records 
*  build their infrastructure to connect to national record
check systems both to supply information and to
conduct the requisite checks, including the FBI-operated
National Instant Criminal Background Check System
(NICS), the National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR),
and the National Protective Order File. 

Technical assistance    Direct assistance is provided to
States to implement programs, policies, and
technologies to upgrade criminal records and improve
interface with the FBI's national systems.  Technical
assistance is provided through onsite visits, web
training, telephone, training classes, and workshops and
conferences.  Onsite technical assistance visits are
coordinated with the FBI to facilitate participation in FBI
programs such as the Interstate Identification Index (III). 

Evaluation efforts   A comprehensive record quality
index is currently being developed which will evaluate
State progress in record improvement and allow for
comparison across states.

Statistical data collections   BJS conducts several
statistical series to produce annual estimates of the
results of the background checks and to ascertain the
quality of record-holdings in each State to identify
areas where additional resources or concentrations of
effort are required.  

*  The Firearm Inquiry Statistics (FIST) series collects
data on the number of inquiries processed by States in
connection with presale firearm checks and the number
and basis for rejection of such applications.  Data are
also collected describing procedures followed by each
of the 50 States in connection with firearm checks.
 
*  The 50-State Survey of Criminal History Information
Systems provides information on the technology, policy,
and legislative status of criminal history records.

*  The National Instant Background Check (NIC) Survey
collects data from the States to identify major
impediments to disposition completeness, with a primary
focus on the linkage between criminal records
repositories and the courts and prosecutors. 

Improving Local Data 

State Justice Statistics (SJS) Program for Statistical
Analysis Centers   In 1972, BJS initiated incentives to
the States to create statistical centers in each State and
to provide liaison to BJS in the collection of data from
State and local agencies.  Under the BJS State Justice
Statistics Program, all States and most territories have
established these Statistical Analysis Centers (SACs)
designed to centralize and integrate criminal justice
statistical functions within the State.  BJS provides
limited funds to each State to coordinate statistical
activities within the State, conduct research as needed
to estimate impacts of legislative and policy changes,
and serve a liaison role in assisting BJS to gather data
from respondent agencies within their States. 
Technical assistance for SACs   Technical assistance is
provided to coordinate statistical activities across the
States; provide training to all SACs in statistical and
presentational methods; and foster shared knowledge
about methodologies which have been used across the
States to address common measurement concerns.  

National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)
Implementation Program   The FBI's Uniform Crime
Reporting (UCR) program, which began in 1929,
collects information about crimes reported to the police.
In 1982 BJS and the FBI sponsored a study of the UCR
Program with the objective of revising it to meet law
enforcement needs into the 21st century.  Since this
time, BJS has participated in the design and
development of NIBRS and supports several related
efforts to encourage the use of incident-based data.  

The NIBRS Implementation Program is designed to
improve the quality of crime statistics in the United
States through technical support to States for
implementation of NIBRS-compliant systems.  The
technical assistance and research program builds upon
extensive previous efforts to review ongoing NIBRS
activity and to identify impediments to NIBRS
implementation and recommend solutions to these
problems.  

The Incident-Based Reporting Resource Center   This
online resource for incident-based crime data seeks to
put practical analytical information and tools into the
hands of analysts who want to work with incident-based
data, and to provide a forum where analysts can
exchange information and ideas about using
incident-based data.

Strategic Goal 2.  Improve criminal records and local
statistics

2.1 Measures of Operational Outcomes

I.  Measuring the status of criminal history records and
the interface between state and national systems

Since 1970, BJS has promoted both the technical and
conceptual improvements in the maintenance of
information systems related to criminal history
records.  Since 1995, BJS has provided substantial
funding to the States, largely as a consequence of the
Brady Act, to upgrade these records and make them
shareable for purposes of a background check prior to
a firearms purchase.  Such improved record systems
have substantial utility for other types of background
check applications.  BJS maintains on a continuous
basis, a variety of program performance measures
including:

Percentage of State records which are automated  
Biennially, BJS conducts a data collection activity among
criminal records repositories to estimate the level of
automation of records.

Percentage of records accessible through the
Interstate Identification Index (III) of the FBI   The
III is the national system for sharing criminal records. 
On a near-monthly basis, BJS keeps track of the
status of each State with respect to participation.

Number of records shareable through the III   The
number of III records maintained by the States versus
those maintained by the FBI is an important measure
of the ability to decentralize the background check
system.

Number of States participating in III This is an
important measure of the quality of criminal records in
each State and the extent to which they may be
conforming to national record quality standards.

Number of States participating in the FBI's
Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification
System (IAFIS)   This measures the transition among
the States to digitized fingerprint systems from rolled
and inked prints.

Number of States providing data to the FBI's
National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR)   This
important component of the background check system
is based upon State submission of data on sex
offenders meeting registry requirements.

Number of States with automated interface
between sex offender registry and other State
systems and agencies   This is primarily a concern in
Point-of-Contact background check States where the
State-conducted check must integrate State sex
offender information.

Number of States participating in FBI National
Protection Order File  This important component of
the background check system is based upon State
and local submission of data on protection orders
issued by local courts. 

II.  Measuring the status of National Incident-Based
Reporting System (NIBRS) implementation

In 1984, BJS designed NIBRS as the next-generation
of law enforcement agency data on crime.  The FBI
and its Advisory Policy Board have embraced the
transition to NIBRS by the Nation's 18,000 law
enforcement agencies.  BJS has played a supportive
role to the FBI through occasional funding and
ongoing technical assistance.  Outcome measures
include the following:

Number of States implementing NIBRS   States
must first become certified as NIBRS-compliant prior
to the submission of data to the FBI.
Percentage of U.S. population covered by NIBRS
reporting   An ongoing measure of the reach of NIBRS
statistical information and an annual change indicator on
growth in participation.

Percentage of law enforcement agencies
participating in NIBRS  An ongoing measure of the
reach of NIBRS statistical information and coverage
among agencies nationwide and an annual change
indicator on growth in participation. 

Percent of Part I crimes reported in
NIBRS-compliant format   Since 1930, annual
measurement of Part I crimes has been available; this
measure will document the transition from summary
UCR-based data to NIBRS data.

Strategic Goal 2.  Improve criminal records and local
statistics

2.2 Measures of Educational Outcomes

I. Provide technical assistance for improved statistical
reporting

Since its initiation, BJS has always perceived the
production of statistical data on crime and justice as
the product of its partnership with the 50,000
agencies, offices, and institutions which compose the
criminal justice system nationwide.  To facilitate that
relationship in order to generate these data, BJS has
continuously provided assistance to the States to
centralize and give impetus to the collection and
analysis of data at the State level.  Over this period,
the awareness of and recognition of the need for
data-driven policies and practices has become an
important element of the improvement in the
administration of justice. 

Number of statistical projects supported under the
State Statistical Analysis Centers (SAC) Program
BJS has encouraged a wide range of statistical and
methodological research and development in the
States and has encouraged the exchange of findings
through the Infobase System.

Recurring surveys of statewide participation in
national systems The SAC program often requires
State centers to assist BJS by conducting surveys within
their States to address emerging national policy issues
or new legislative mandates. 

Monitoring of studies, reports, and  databases
developed.  BJS annually collects information via the
SAC program concerning new State and local
databases that are developed or enhanced with BJS
funds.  BJS also monitors the studies, reports,
projects, and analyses that are generated as a result
of SAC funding.

Strategic Goal 2.  Improve criminal records and local
statistics
2.3 Measures of Evaluative Outcomes

I. Effectiveness of criminal history record and system
improvements

With the appropriation of funds to build the
infrastructure to support the NICS, BJS
simultaneously initiated the use of measures of the
most important outcomes sought in terms of firearms
checks and the upgrading of records nationwide to
facilitate a wide range of additional types of checks
associated with employment and licensing, sex
offenders, stalkers, domestic violence offenders, and
non-citizens.

Percentage of applications for firearms transfers
rejected primarily for the presence of a prior felony
conviction history   BJS has maintained the Firearms
Inquiries Statistical System (FIST) since passage of the
Brady Act.  This statistical series measures the results
of the NICS checks conducted.

Comprehensive Records Quality Index for
comparisons across States This statistical effort
measures a number of variables related to the
completeness, timeliness, and shareability of records
by producing a composite index for each State of
performance measures.
Strategic Goal 3.  Ensuring public access to data
and statistics

BJS' audience is primarily the entire nation -- every
institution and individual concerned with any aspect of
crime and the response to crime -- as well as an
international one. The potential pool of customers and
constituents is endless.  The objectives are to provide
useful, timely products, increase electronic access and
online capabilities, and assist users in understanding
BJS' interpretations and underlying methodologies. 

Publish, disseminate, and facilitate electronic
access   BJS publishes approximately 40-50 reports
annually and produces thousands of electronic
spreadsheets.  The BJS website has become the
principal vehicle for dissemination.  It receives up to
20,000 users per day with downloads of thousands of
reports each day and hundreds of datasets weekly. 
Over the last several years, BJS has recorded nearly 7
million visitors to the BJS website, utilizing the data or
statistical reports.

BJS Internet World Wide Web site  Providing
information on the Internet has proven to be the most
timely, efficient, and cost-effective way BJS can make
its data accessible.  BJS information is updated
continuously.  The site provides:

*  summary findings including statistical graphics,
publications, selected statistics, and related sites
presented by crime and justice topic
*  every BJS report produced by BJS since 1994 is
available electronically
*  data for analysis, including spreadsheets, datasets,
and online tabulation capabilities
*  descriptions of BJS data collections and assistance
programs. 

From 2003 to 2004, BJS website usage increased
nearly 30%.
 
Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics    This
compilation, maintained by the State University of New
York at Albany, is available online at
<www.albany.edu/sourcebook> with continuously
updated data from more than 150 sources.  Annual
editions of the Sourcebook with over 600 tables are also
available on CD-ROM.    

Clearinghouses and archives   BJS maintains national
archives of data and reports for dissemination and
direct, interactive access by the public.  This 
permits any researcher or member of the public to 
replicate any number published by BJS.  

Reference Service   The National Criminal Justice
Reference Service (NCJRS) provides information about
crime and justice statistics. The clearinghouse offers
products and services tailored to the needs of the
criminal justice professional and serves as the primary
repository for BJS products for distribution.

By referral from BJS, NCJRS handles major
distributions as needed for White House and DOJ
events and attends major conferences representing the
statistical products available from BJS.

National Archive of Criminal Justice Data
(NACJD)   The Archive, located with the central staff of
the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social
Research (ICPSR) in the Institute for Social Research at
the University of Michigan, maintains data files,
documents them and makes them available to
researchers, scholars, journalists and other users. 

The data from most BJS statistical series -- more than
300 individual data sets -- are held by the archive and
distributed through electronic and traditional means,
including downloading from NACJD Internet site,
datatapes, CD-ROM  or diskettes.  Online data analysis
can now be conducted from the NACJD website.  The
NACJD provides all data management services for BJS
and public access for the replication and secondary
analysis of BJS statistics and findings.  The NACJD
produces the required documentation for data users and
provides electronic access to source data for public data
users around the world.

National Clearinghouse for Criminal Justice Information
Systems   The clearinghouse operates an automated
index accessible through the Internet of more than 1,000
criminal justice information systems maintained by State
and local governments throughout the Nation, issues
technical publications, provides technical assistance and
training for State and local government officials, and
operates the Justice Technology Resource Center.
The clearinghouse provides linking services for BJS
data users to all accessible public information systems. 
This vehicle promotes the cross-jurisdiction use of data
and permits localities to systematically examine the
types of information systems and capabilities for data
management present in other jurisdictions.  

Federal Justice Statistics Resource Center (FJSRC) 
The Federal Justice Statistics Resource Center
maintains the BJS Federal Justice Statistics
Program database which contains information
about suspects and defendants processed in the
Federal criminal justice system.  Data are currently
obtained from the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S.
Attorneys, Federal Judiciary, U.S. Sentencing
Commission, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. 
These data are available for online query and
analysis.

Infobase of State Activities and Research (ISAR)  
The ISAR database contains current information
about the research, activities, and publications of
the State Statistical Analysis Centers which
conduct research and analyze statistics concerning
criminal justice issues of State interest. The ISAR
is searchable by State, keyword, and date and
includes over 4,000 research projects, publications,
and other state-level products and activities.

BJS Support for Data Users 

BJS staff provide direct assistance to users by
identifying sources of BJS information, interpreting
statistical data from BJS statistical series and data
collections, and providing technical assistance related 
to methodologies of BJS surveys.

BJS Clearinghouse staff who specialize in BJS statistical
resources assist users in locating data that best meet
their particular information needs. BJS specialists also
have access to a variety of other criminal justice data
and can direct users to those resources.

National Archive staff supply technical assistance in
analyzing data collections and selecting the computer
hardware and software for analyzing data efficiently and
effectively and offer training in quantitative methods of
social science research to facilitate secondary analysis
of criminal justice data.

Strategic Goal 3.  Ensuring public access to data and
statistics

3.1 Measures of Operational Outcomes

BJS provides a wide array of products and services each of
which can be counted and measured in terms of customer
demand and use.  These operational activities are designed
to place statistical findings, prepared data, and datasets 
for public use in the hands of the public, including the 
media, policymakers, students, and researchers. 
 
Publication of findings  The number of paper reports,
electronic reports, and CD-ROMs made available to the
public and the number requested or downloaded.

Electronic products available online  BJS has been
expanding the number of products available on the BJS
website to address growing demand for electronically
formatted questionnaires, tables, charts, and spreadsheets. 
The measure tracks the number and types of products that
BJS makes available via its website.

Electronic datasets made available  Datasets with
supporting documentation are made available in a variety of
formats ranging from online direct electronic access to
traditional ordering of datasets or remote mounting of
datasets through the National Archive of Criminal Justice
Data's University of Michigan terminal system.  BJS counts
the number of accessions of each type to measure data
usage.

Media releases on newswire  BJS releases reports and other
announcements directly to the media via the newswire.  BJS
keeps track of the number of releases to the media and the
number of accessions to electronic versions of press releases
and announcements on the BJS website.

Outreach activities  BJS makes substantial effort to ensure
that new audiences for reports and data are continuously
developed.  Measures of the number of conferences
attended and the number of BJS reports distributed and
requested are maintained.
 
Strategic Goal 3.  Ensuring public access to data and
statistics

3.2 Measures of Educational Outcomes

Among the most important measures of accomplishment for
BJS is the use of BJS data in promoting a better
understanding of crime and the administration of justice. 
Among the measures indicative of the public's access to
BJS data are:

Electronic subscribers to JUSTATS  This database of
interested data users has grown dramatically since it was
created by BJS.  Counts of both membership and items
requested or used are maintained by BJS in order to assess
utilization.

Subscribers to BJS distribution lists   BJS
maintains listings of persons who have indicated a
particular topical interest and who would like copies of
reports on those topics.  The number of such
subscribers is another measure of utilization of BJS
products and services.

BJS website usage  BJS maintains detailed information on
web users and their method of entry to the BJS website as
well as their level and type of activities while visiting 
the site.

Inquiries to ASKBJS service  The BJS website provides a
portal to BJS staff for users to inquire about findings,
methods, and additional information.  BJS maintains
detailed logs of these transactions with the public and uses
these data to evaluate the quality and responsiveness of
staff to these external requests.
    
Internet sites linking to BJS homepage  BJS, in its
analyses of web usage, can ascertain the number of websites
linking to the BJS homepage. The number of such links is
an important measure of the utility other web users have
attributed to the BJS website.
    
Media citations of BJS data  BJS measures the frequency
and use of BJS data by the media.  BJS calculates an
estimated number of media citations based on -- the number
of press releases issued by BJS multiplied by fifty percent
(for a conservative figure) of the total daily newspapers on
the AP newswire; and the number of press releases issued
by BJS multiplied by fifty percent of registered radio
stations and television stations (also a conservative figure 
of those likely to pick up AP news stories). 

Federal and State court opinions citing BJS data   BJS
tracks the appearance of reports and findings in case
decisions using Lexis/Nexis and Westlaw database
searches. 
    
Journal articles citing BJS data   BJS tracks the citations
of BJS reports and findings in social science periodicals,
law reviews, criminal justice journals. 

Congressional Record and testimony citing BJS data   BJS
monitors the citation of BJS data in the Congressional 
Record and in testimony given by and tot he U.S. Congress.

Strategic Goal 3.  Ensuring public access to data and
statistics

3.3 Measures of Evaluative Outcomes 

Measuring customer satisfaction with BJS products
and services is an ongoing process.  Learning about
the customer's ability to navigate the website is, in
many ways, as important or more important than the
data or information they sought to acquire.  BJS uses
a variety of techniques for measuring customer
satisfaction including:

Customer feedback surveys  BJS periodically conducts
surveys among those using both electronic and print
materials.  The findings of these surveys are regularly
published on the BJS website.

Website usability testing   BJS utilizes a vigorous program
of usability testing prior to initiating any change in the
content or presentation of web-based BJS materials or
information.

Website user log analysis   In order to optimize access to
the most sought-after BJS information, BJS maintains data
on user sessions to identify areas most frequently visited.

Analysis of ASKBJS questions/
responses  Apart from measuring whether a response was
given and how timely the response was, BJS examines the
content of all questions and replies to identify opportunities
for data needed by the public which are not currently being
collected.

------------------------------------------------
Section IV.  Measures of BJS' operational efficiency

Efficiency Goals
BJS' Index of Operational Efficiency 
-------------------------------------------------

Measures of BJS' Operational Efficiency

Because it is important to BJS that the agency is able
to determine whether the achieved results justified the
cost and resource burden, a set of efficiency
indicators have been developed to review the
operational contingencies of performance.  

Efficiency indicators typically represent productivity
relative to resources expended; however, efficiency
indicators also represent operational goals.   BJS utilizes
an efficiency index which is comparable to the
Dow-Jones Index of bell-weather stocks to integrate
GPRA performance measures with data on
appropriations and staff resources.  

This performance barometer is referred to as the BJS
Index of Operational Efficiency.  It combines a variety of
productivity indicators into a convenient index for
monitoring performance across operational goals and
tasks.   These measures are then combined into an
Index of Operational Efficiency, described more fully
below.

Efficiency goals:
1.  Reduce staffing required per  collection unit
2.  Increase customer contact and data access per staff 
member 
3.  Increase customer access to analytic facilities per 
staff  member
4.  Increase conversion from paper-based products to 
electronic products
5.  Reduce cost of providing data services per user

Annualized performance metrics with respect to the
five efficiency goals are defined by creating a set of
measures establishing the value of each data
collection activity, the numbers of users of each
BJS-provided service (e.g., publications, datasets,
spreadsheets for download, and interactive data
analysis features), and the appropriations and staff
resources required to accomplish the mission of the
agency.

The result is a set of five efficiency measures:  (1)
number of staff per collection unit, (2) number of public
contacts per staff member, (3) number of unique
analyses produced or made electronically accessible per
staff member, (4) the number of paper products
disseminated per 100 users or customers, and (5) the
agency appropriation per user/customer.

The five annualized efficiency measures have been
generated for the years 1996 to 2004 and have been
forecasted for 2005  2007.  

For the first efficiency goal, BJS staff per collection unit
has declined since 1996 by an estimated 17% reflecting
fewer employees doing more work.  

For efficiency goals 2 and 3, substantial improvements
in the numbers of users and customers have also been
made relative to the number of BJS authorized staff
since 1996.  

Efficiency goal 4 evidences a 90% reduction in the use
of paper per user/customer indicating the enormous
growth in electronic distribution of data. 
 
Finally, the calculation of performance with respect to
efficiency goal 5 shows a 65% decrease in the cost of
BJS services per customer/user -- from $23.76 in 1996
to $8.27 in 2004 (in constant dollars).

Standardizing these efficiency measures for purposes of
indexing can be accomplished by generating a
distribution of deviations from the average performance
over the 10-year period.  

To eliminate negative values for these deviations (as
would occur in below average years), a constant value
(in this case +10) is added to each efficiency deviation
unit in each year and the total score is summed across
the five measures.  The higher the aggregate score, the
better the performance above the average efficiency
measured over the period.

Index of Operational Efficiency 

The Index of Operational Efficiency gives equal weight
to each of the 5 efficiency goals.  The Index shows that
since 1997, BJS has experienced annual increases in
efficiency.  Relative to the average efficiency for the
period since 1996, BJS is estimated to be 30% more
efficient in 2004 than it was  in 1996.  Over the period,
the greatest improvement occurred in the reduced cost
per user of BJS services and products -- a 40% higher
level of efficiency in 2004 than in 1996.

In addition to obtaining the underlying data and deriving
an historical 10-year index for examining operational
efficiency trends, BJS is evaluating the feasibility of
developing an index of data quality to identify those
statistical programs from among the more than 3 dozen
conducted by BJS which yield the smallest
non-response/missing data adjustments and those
which generate larger adjustments or less precise
estimates.  These data efficiency measures will
ultimately serve as a complement to the Index of
Operational Efficiency and should help data users to
obtain a more systematic understanding of the
distribution of data quality.  

In particular, measures of data efficiency may serve as
estimators of the extent of changes in data quality
associated with revised sampling methods and other
data collection modifications (such as non-response
follow-up) which are a direct consequences of changes
in Appropriations. 

-----------------------------------------------
Section V.    Importance of a professional review
process in strategic and program planning
         
Internal Assessments
External Assessments
Public Access and Replicability of Findings
----------------------------------------------   

Importance of a Professional Review Process

The Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical 
Agency, issued by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS),
documents the importance of employing various mechanisms
for obtaining both internal and external review of a 
statistical agency's data collection program and 
methodologies.

Data programs, analysis, and statistical reports are subject 
to thorough internal reviews to monitor and maintain their
quality.  These varied vehicles of professional peer review 
are conducted to maintain the quality of agency programs and 
to ensure that users and other experts can have an impact on
them.

BJS maintains a stringent oversight program for its
national statistical programs.  As with many other
statistical agencies, BJS' programs are typically
subject to ongoing and periodic professional reviews
by experts to ensure validity and relevance.  BJS
meets with external groups to review current
programs, solicit input on program initiatives, suggest
new products, and recommend changes.  Program
managers frequently meet with academic researchers,
government data users, government policy experts,
practitioners, and other stakeholders, to review and
evaluate products, programs, and technical
methodology.  

Through a variety of peer review activities as described
below, BJS maintains the quality and utility of programs,
and encourages data users and other stakeholders to
contribute to the agency's data collection and
dissemination program.  Brief written statements
summarizing these activities and their impact on agency
programs serve as performance indicators.

Internal Assessments

On a continuous basis, BJS staff and managers
examine emerging data needs as expressed through
Attorney General priorities and Congressional
mandates.  BJS staff regularly evaluate new
legislative initiatives and required reporting programs
to ensure conformity with data collection and reporting
requirements imposed.  In addition, BJS staff meet
regularly with Federal, State, and local officials to
identify emerging data needs or desirable
modifications to existing collection and reporting
programs.  

Finally, where available, BJS carries out systematic
comparisons across both BJS and non-BJS data series;
for example, BJS posts on our website the relationship
between FBI-recorded crime data gathered from State
and local police departments and NCVS data on
reporting the same crimes to the police as described by
victims.

BJS staff maintain a rigorous verification procedure to
ensure accuracy and replicablility for all published
numbers and estimates.  In addition, all analytic routines
and protocols are independently verified and tested.

External Assessments

BJS utilizes a variety of external organizations to
regularly critique ongoing statistical programs and
series.  
   
American Statistical Association   For nearly 30 years,
BJS has utilized the ASA to review and critique
statistical programs through a Technical Committee
established to address Law and Justice Statistics. The
Committee, composed primarily of academic
statisticians and criminologists, provides technical
advice and methodological evaluations to BJS and
identifies substantive and methodological issues that
BJS should address.  

In addition, the ASA sponsors a program of research designed 
to tap high-quality researchers to periodically study issues 
of interest to BJS relating to methodology and/or analyses 
drawn from our statistical series.  For example, BJS has had 
a growing interest in the problem of survey non- response
and missing data; BJS and ASA jointly sponsored a
meeting to better understand the reasons for growth in
non-response and techniques for ameliorating the
problem.  Through this relationship, ASA ensures that
BJS activities and procedures are regularly reviewed
and evaluated before receiving the organization's
imprimatur. 

Office of Management and Budget  BJS, as one of the
ten principal Federal statistical agencies, adheres to
common policy and practice expectations defined by
OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs as
well as the notice and review requirements under the
Paperwork Reduction Act.  In this regard, BJS practices
are continually subject to the review of the Chief
Statistician of the U.S. located in OMB.  BJS collection
programs are regularly subject to OMB and public
scrutiny as set forth in OMB regulations governing
Federal statistical series and the operations of statistical
agencies.  
   
The Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) of the
National Academy of Sciences, National Research
Council  CNSTAT works to improve the understanding
of national issues through improvement to the statistical
methods and information on which important public
policy decisions are based.   BJS has had a long
standing relationship with NRC to systematically
evaluate the suitability of BJS findings and data for
inclusion in reports on crime-related issues.  BJS staff
frequently present or serve on NRC panels and submit
papers for inclusion in NRC published reports.

Interagency Council on Statistical Policy   BJS is a
member of the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy
(ICSP), a council of federal statistical agency heads that 
is chaired by OMB.  Since its inception, the ICSP has been 
an important vehicle for coordinating federal statistical 
agencies and their practices, particularly when statistical 
activities and issues overlap or cut across agencies.  The 
ICSP has also facilitated the exchange of information about 
agency programs and activities, and has provided advice and 
counsel to OMB on statistical matters. 

FedStats   To ensure one-stop shopping for the public
as users of BJS statistical data, BJS seeks to conform
its data dissemination and distribution procedures to the
requirements of FedStats -- an electronic window on a
full range of official statistical information available to
the public from the Federal Government.  BJS statistical
programs, analytic procedures, and reports and
datasets made available to the public are all
continuously evaluated in terms of these external
requirements and standards.  BJS has been a major
contributor to those Federal initiatives devised to ensure
greater access to such data.  

Public Interest Organizations   BJS regularly seeks the
advice and input of public interest groups and
organizations with respect to collection instruments,
collection procedures, and publications.  Among the
organizations that are regularly solicited for their
assessments of our products are: International
Association of Chiefs of Police, National Sheriff's
Association,  American Correctional Association,
Association of State Corrections Administrators,
American Jail Association, American Probation and
Parole Association, National District Attorney's
Association, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts,
and the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys.  

BJS also utilizes periodic focus groups composed of
experts, both from the practitioner and academic
communi-ties, to evaluate new initiatives and ongoing
programs.  In addition, the BJS Visiting Fellows program
affords staff the opportunity to obtain additional external
review and comment.   

Council of Professional Associations on Federal
Statistics   COPAFS has been an ongoing partner to
BJS in assuring the utility and value of BJS statistics 
for a wide variety of user communities.  COPAFS, as a
consortium of many dozens of member and affiliate
organizations relying upon Federal statistical data,
provides a superb sounding-board for BJS initiatives. In
particular, BJS has asked COPAFS for comments on
the usefulness and usability of the BJS website.  BJS
staff have made presentations at COPAFS meetings
designed to elicit evaluative criticism and such
exchanges have proven to be helpful and constructive
opportunities to gather feedback on how to improve the
utility of the BJS website.   

Public Access and Replicability of Findings   

Another element of the evaluation process within BJS is
the self-imposed requirement to make all datasets and
accompanying documentation available to the public as
oon as possible after the release of a report from that
dataset.  This is perhaps the most important evaluation
tool as every reported finding should be replicable by
those external to BJS.  BJS facilitates such use of the
data by providing analytic tools directly to users.

Through use of our two main online data repositories,
the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data and the
Federal Justice Statistics website, BJS has provided
both access to BJS data and easy-to-use software
which permits any user to conduct analyses from the
data without prior training in the use of the software.  
In this fashion, even an untrained user of BJS data can
challenge a number in our reports and ascertain
whether the number can be reproduced.  

--------------------------------------------------
The Bureau of Justice Statistics is the statistical agency
of the U.S. Department of Justice.  Lawrence A.
Greenfeld is director.
The FY 2005-2008 BJS Strategic Plan was prepared
under the direction of Lawrence A. Greenfeld.  Maureen
A. Henneberg, Associate Director, managed the
implementation of the planning process.  Peter Brien
and Lara Reynolds prepared the Strategic Plan for
publication.  Tom Hester and Marianne Zawitz assisted
in production.
---------------------------------------------------

End of file
05/23/05 ih