Crime in North Dakota, 2012
The North Dakota Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program involves the collection,compilation, and analysis of crime and arrest statistics reported by the various local lawenforcement agencies throughout the state. Fifty-two
sheriffs’ departments and
43 policedepartments reported to the UCR program in 2012.
North Dakota law enforcement agencies use a standardincident form to collect data on each incident reported to their respective agencies. This formcollects much more detailed information than is collected using summary reporting. Datacollected includes: type of incident, where and when the incident took place, victimcharacteristics, suspect/arrestee characteristics, property involved in the incident, etc. A total of 95
police departments and sheriffs’ departments reported incident data for all or part of
2012.In order to continue the statistical time-series begun with summary reporting, computer programswere written to extract summary data from the incident data reported. Crime in North Dakota,2012 is a report on summary data.
Law enforcement agencies use a tally system to report the number of crime index offenses and arrests for each month. North Dakota no longer has any agenciesreporting summary data.The federal counterpart of the North Dakota UCR program is the National UCR program under the direction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The UCR program has been usednationally and in North Dakota for many years to measure the extent, distribution and fluctuationof crime through the crime index. The crime index is not an absolute measure, but rather anindication of the amount and type of crime occurring in any given jurisdiction. The index iscomposed of seven crimes that are sub-classified as follows:VIOLENT CRIME: Murder/Non-Negligent Manslaughter Forcible RapeRobberyAggravated AssaultPROPERTY CRIME: BurglaryLarceny/TheftMotor Vehicle TheftA Modified Crime Index is also calculated at the federal level. This includes arson as the fourth property crime and the eighth index offense. Data on arson is not included in this report.Prior to an offense becoming recorded in the UCR program, it must be reported to the local lawenforcement officials and reported by the local agency to the UCR program. Consequently, theUCR program only reflects reported crimes. Reporting of crimes depends on several factors,including actual perception of an act as a crime, the probability of loss of status for reporting (asin cases of rape), and the perceived probability of action on the part of the law enforcementagency contacted.