Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program has expanded in scope, importance, and size since its inception over seven decades ago. The Program began with law enforcement agencies in 400 cities from 43 states submitting crime data in January 1930 and now encompasses approximately 17,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide that voluntarily contribute their crime statistics. Without the support of these city, county, state, tribal, and federal agencies, the Program could not fulfill its mission to generate a reliable set of crime statistics for use in law enforcement administration, operation, and management.
To ensure the best reporting possible, the UCR staff developed, and has further revised, this handbook to assist participating agencies in understanding and completing monthly and annual reporting forms. It is of the utmost importance that administrators, as well as those persons bearing responsibility for preparing the reports, have a thorough understanding of information contained in this handbook. The completeness and accuracy of each agency’s crime reporting is crucial to a wide variety of data users so that they can understand crime, formulate policies, make strategic and operational decisions, and conduct criminological research and analysis
To ensure the best reporting possible, the UCR staff developed, and has further revised, this handbook to assist participating agencies in understanding and completing monthly and annual reporting forms. It is of the utmost importance that administrators, as well as those persons bearing responsibility for preparing the reports, have a thorough understanding of information contained in this handbook. The completeness and accuracy of each agency’s crime reporting is crucial to a wide variety of data users so that they can understand crime, formulate policies, make strategic and operational decisions, and conduct criminological research and analysis
