06/05/08
Chief Explains Underreported Crime Stats -
Categories: A couple weeks ago, I posted information that I had received from Police Chief Mitch Bates that Garland had probably underreported for several years the crime statistics we supply to the Department of Public Safety in Austin and, ultimately, to the FBI for its Uniform Crime Report.
In a presentation to the Council at the last work session, Chief Bates explained how the underreporting had occurred, that the problem is believed to be corrected, and that we will see a statistical rise in reported crimes. Video links to the presentation and links to the Chief's PowerPoint presentation are below. Although we have prepared new statistics for the UCR, any actual increase is not yet known but he expects to be able to supply accurate information soon.
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The problem is believed to go back to 2000, when a new computer reporting system was initiated. As in the graphic on the left, the department collects data on all reported crimes in the city. Only a portion of that data is reported to the DPS and FBI for the UCR. The UCR attempts to give a snap-shot presentation of crime across the nation. Certain crime statistics are collected for the report, such as murder, but the crime may have much different legal names in different states (first-degree murder, second-degree murder, murder with malice, etc.). The UCR attempts to report specific crimes, no matter the local name, and use that data for a nationwide comparison. Not all crimes in even one are might be reported, such as coin-operated machine thefts are not reported. Specific crimes are defined and statistics for those crimes gathered.
Our troubles began when the data was swept looking for UCR-defined crimes. Because of how the program was coded, not all crimes that should have been collected were. The collected data is now being corrected for the 2007 report but it too will be lower that actual incidents because efforts to correct the problems were not discovered until the last quarter. Next year's 2008 report will be accurate and will have to serve as the base going forward.
We will see an increase in UCR-reported crimes. We don't know, however, if there has been an actual increase in crime. Chief Bates strongly assumes there has been because other area chiefs are reporting rises, as are police departments across the nation. He will have a better idea of any increase by comparing the 2006 Total Crime database to the 2007 database, which is accurate and the information we use locally.
Monthly, I've posted crime statistics for District 1 (see link to latest report below). That data was drawn from the Total Crime database and that information is accurate — it won't change.
For a better understanding of the problem we experienced and how it has been addressed, please watch the work session presentation below and use the link to the PowerPoint presentation to better see that portion.
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