IJIS Involvement in NIBRS
Understanding crime, criminals, and victims is key to state, local, and national criminal justice policy. This cannot be accomplished without a comprehensive program such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) crime reporting program that standardizes national crime data collection. To ensure standardized collection, the IJIS Institute has been an instrumental partner to both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ National Crime Information Exchange (NCS-X), California Rapid Deployment Model (CA RDM), and Law Enforcement Transition to NIBRS (LETNIBRS) Programs to assist hundreds of law enforcement agencies with the transition to NIBRS.
Our team provides project management and technical assistance resources to increase NIBRS participation. The Institute has leveraged partnerships with law enforcement RMS service providers to bring them to the table with local law enforcement and federal partners to ensure project success.
California Rapid Deployment Model (CA RDM)
In California, RDM efforts include seven service providers contracted directly with the IJIS Institute to implement CIBRS for 117 law enforcement agencies. This consolidated effort has resulted in several million dollars in cost savings and significant time savings for law enforcement staff and service provider partners.
The project team conducts monthly Town Halls in partnership with the California Department of Justice to reach over 300 law enforcement agencies monthly. The Town Halls serve as a forum for law enforcement agencies to ask questions, gain insights on current NIBRS reporting issues, and exchange implementation experiences with peer law enforcement agencies.
The IJIS team has also provided technical assistance to Most in Population (MIP) agencies in California, including the Los Angeles Police Department, San Francisco Police Department, the Long Beach Police Department, Downey Police Department, and San Bernardino, among others. This technical assistance has included a range of services from business process change consultation, offense code support, training support, and assistance with understanding errors and warnings to facilitate state-level NIBRS certification.
The RDM used in California is a model that can be brought to the forefront for national information-sharing programs. The IJIS Institute consolidated contract vehicles, negotiated contract pricing, and eliminated the need for over 100 law enforcement agencies to undergo sometimes intensive procurement processes. This model has proven to create implementation and cost efficiencies that can facilitate standardized information sharing programs on multiple levels, saving all involved parties significant costs and implementation time, all while providing a more coordinated, cohesive approach to implementation.
“Our partnership with the IJIS Institute is invaluable, particularly in our transition to NIBRS/CIBRS. Their expertise in this complex implementation process is critical to the San Francisco Police Department. The technical assistance they provide is not just about getting the system running; it is about ensuring the quality and integrity of our data.
The IJIS team’s deep understanding of NIBRS/CIBRS and their ability to translate that knowledge into practical solutions makes a significant difference. They work closely with our staff, providing tailored guidance and support addressing our specific needs. The final result will be a robust, reliable system allowing us to collect and analyze crime data with greater accuracy and efficiency.” – Will Sanson-Mosier, San Francisco Police Department, Chief Information Officer
Law Enforcement Transition to NIBRS (LETNIBRS):
The LETNIBRS Program provides technical assistance to select MIP agencies that have not fully implemented the FBI’s NIBRS program. In partnership with the Bureau of Justice Statistics and RTI International, the program aims to increase NIBRS participation nationally to ninety percent population coverage. This program’s technical assistance is similar to that of the California RDM project.
Helpful Resources
