NCJ Number
75336
Date Published
1980
Length
192 pages
Annotation
This report examines the role and uses of nationwide criminal justice administrative data covering organization, financing, personnel, and other administrative aspects of criminal justice.
Abstract
The study focuses on the background development of statistics, issues involved in administrative statistics, user needs, data availability, and the promotion of a wide use of existing data resources. Primary statistical criteria include coverage, quality, timeliness, cost, and use. Collection alternatives are suggested for both centralized and decentralized approaches. Difficulties in defining user needs are discussed, and the results of a user needs survey sent to 979 State and local officials are presented. Types of data used by such groups as national policymakers, national and State legislatures, the executive branch, interest groups, and State decisionmakers are identified. Thirty publications are listed which provide criminal justice administrative information or statistics. A survey of potential users of these 30 information sources is explained, and the results are analyzed in a data availability review. Descriptions are given of existing data in the areas of law enforcement, the courts, prosecution, defense, corrections, planning and statistical agencies, general information, juvenile justice, and nonprofit agencies. The need for and the adequacy of existing data are evaluated. Suggestions are made for promoting wider use of existing data resources through providing a central focus for dissemination of information on available data, aiding linkage to other types of data, promoting more analysis and interpretation of data resources, and upgrading the capabilities of users. Eight appendixes include the user questionnaire, study methodology, data use tables, the data availability review, NCJRS abstracts, assessment of the experiment in MTS usage, a survey on expenditure and employment data in criminal justice, and a list of interviewees. Tables and footnotes which include references are included.