National Incident-Based Reporting System: Pros and Cons

Describe NIBRS and list at least three of its advantages 

NIBRS is an abbreviation that when used refer to the National Incident-based Reporting System. The NIBRS is a system that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) introduced in the United States as a method of data collection and recording. The data collected a reported using this system is primarily on crime and criminal incidences that are reported to the police offices and criminal investigation departments in the country. The occurrences which are usually reported to the police officers or any other body which is responsible for the investigation of crime are those that have been investigated and examined by the authorities. During the study and the examination of the crime scene, the incident and all issues that are related to the criminal case are recorded on the NIBRS system (Roberts, 2012). It has a portfolio that accommodates several aspects of criminal data or incidence being reported. These include the date when the crime was committed, the nature of the crime committed, the victims’ conditions, and the situation of the suspect in a case they are arrested. Others include the possible traits of the suspect or the offender and any other relevant issues which can lead the police to find a clue to cause of the criminal incident. The data collected is then transmitted electronically to the FBI where the data is given critical examination, investigation, and the suspects are an interrogation. This system, thus, makes it easy for the FBI to get this information a make crucial investigating the criminal incident. It has also improved the reporting system and documentation of the criminal incidences in many criminal investigation agencies. "Through NIBRS, the FBI has worked in correlation with the local, state and federal agencies to ensure that law and order are maintained.” 

Different advantages come with the use of the NIBRS when it is used to, collect transmit data to the FBI. First, by the use of the National Incident-Based Reporting System, there is a possibility that all the offenses and the criminal acts which are committed in the country are recorded accounted for. It means that NIBRS allows for critical analysis of the crime scenes to get more information that can be used to arrest the criminals. Such pieces of data from a thorough investigation are also essential by aiding the authorities to know possible causes of such crime, and the vulnerable people and areas. Other than this, the NIBRS provide the investigation agencies a chance for collecting all the data on the criminal offenses in the country. The data is then exposed to critical analysis by the concerned bodies. This data cuts across all the crimes, and this makes their data available for investigation in all crimes. Further, it provides a platform where all the body concerned with a crime such as the agencies, the FBI, and intelligence services can share ideas regarding a different crime that is committed in the country. Lastly, it is a platform which the parties concerned with the investigation of corruption in the state get an opportunity to link all the crimes in the country. It also allows them to connect the possible suspected with different nature of crime in the country. This makes it easy for investigation of such criminal cases in the country. Other than this, such data are also paramount in allowing the investigation bodies to link the type of victims with different situations. This makes it easy to trace such crime using the types of victims that often found in such cases. 

What are the advantages of NIBRS  data  to law enforcement? 

To the law enforcement, the NIBRS is a critical instrument. First, this is tool has all the data that are critical to helping the justice system have a strong argument against the serial law offenders. The system records all the data pertaining the criminal activities that are caused by notorious criminals in the country. This system, thus, reveals more details about the offender and their illegal activities and the patterns used to carry out these crimes in the state or the vulnerable regions in the country. This makes it easy for the law enforcing agencies to provide enough evidence in court to nail such offenders. Another advantage to the law enforcement is that it provides an excellent platform where the agencies can meet, and share data that they can share among themselves. These data can further be discussed by the local, regional, and federal agencies regarding all the information that is necessary to manage criminal issues in the country. Also, makes it easy for the law enforcers to account for all the illegal activities and data in the country. In the current situation, there is a hierarchy in the criminal reports. The system that is presently used is more of bureaucratic. They limit the data pertaining illegal activities from lower but critical regions from being reported as result of the cumbersome procedures that are used. This has hindered the law enforcers to acquire essential data that can be used to nail serial criminals in such cases. However, with the NIBRS in place, such barriers are no longer issues. This system facilitates recording, and reporting data from such regionals, and directly transmitting them the to the FBI headquarters for investigation. Other than this, the data collected using the NIBRS are critical since they are used to distinguish the attempted crimes from the actual crimes committed. This is critical to the law enforces. It gives them a chance to identify the instances where such crimes were likely to be determined, where they are likely to occur and the nature of the crime that may happen in such regions. This is critical for the law enforces in tracking similar crimes and has details on how they can be put under control. 

Also, the data that are collected using the NIBRS are essential to the law enforcers to deal efficiently with crimes activities in the country. Nailing criminal operations in the country is not a walk on a red carpet. It entails critical analysis of data pertaining such crime and the identification of their causes ( Parks et al., 2014). This is only possible for the law enforcers if they have access to a variety of data concerning the crime incidences and every detail of each. In the current system, obtaining this data has not been possible due to a hierarchical system of the data collection and investigation that creates a loophole for data leakages. This makes it difficult to trace valid data. However, such scenarios have been curbed by the use of NIBRS. 

List two disadvantages of the NIBRS 

The first demerits of the NIBRS are the process of its implementation by the police departments and other agencies concerned. The application of this system is complicated and tiresome. As a result, it inconveniences other officers. This creates a likeliness of missing some critical data from such officers. 

The second disadvantage is that it has been noted that even though all the data are reported in this system, it sometimes give priority to more serious criminal issues. This creates a possibility where some data can miss, and such incidences of crime may not be covered in the final reports. This creates a loophole for crimes that go unnoticed. 

References 

Parks, S. E., Johnson, L. L., McDaniel, D. D., & Gladden, M. (2014). Surveillance for violent deaths—national violent death reporting system, 16 states, 2010. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Surveillance Summaries , 63 (1), 1-33. 

Roberts, R. J. (2012). Implementing the national incident-based reporting system: A project status report . BiblioGov.