NCJ Number
59809
Date Published
1977
Length
77 pages
Annotation
THIS DICTIONARY DEFINES DATA ELEMENTS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE OFFENDER-BASED STATE CORRECTIONS INFORMATION SYSTEM (OBSCIS), AND INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED FOR EACH DATA ELEMENT.
Abstract
THE DICTIONARY IS THE SEVENTH VOLUME IN A SERIES OF OBSCIS PUBLICATIONS. AN EXPLANATION IS PROVIDED FOR DATA ELEMENT, CORE LEVEL, RECOMMENDED LEVEL, AND OPTIONAL LEVEL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THE DICTIONARY. A SUGGESTED CODING STRUCTURE IS GIVEN FOR EACH CORE ELEMENT. DATA ELEMENTS ARE GROUPED BY SUBJECT MATTER; AN ALPHABETICAL LISTING IS ALSO PROVIDED. CORE LEVEL INFORMATION IS THE BASIC DATA REQUIRED OF STATES PARTICIPATING IN OBSCIS, IN ORDER TO MEET NATIONAL AND INTERSTATE SHARING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. EXAMPLES INCLUDE SEX, BIRTHDATE, AND SENTENCE LENGTH. RECOMMENDED LEVEL INFORMATION IS THAT WHICH THE OBSCIS COMMITTEE BELIEVES ALL STATE CORRECTIONS SYSTEMS NEED. EXAMPLES ARE BIRTHPLACE, AND INSTITUTION SECURITY LEVEL. OPTIONAL LEVEL INFORMATION MAY EXPAND INFORMATION FROM THE OTHER TWO LEVELS OR MAY COVER FACTS NOT FOUND ELSEWHERE. EXAMPLES ARE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND WORK FURLOUGH ELIGIBILITY. AT ALL LEVELS, NEW OBSCIS DATA MUST SUPPLEMENT RATHER THAN REPLACE OLD DATA. CODE STRUCTURE USED IN THE BASIC OBSCIS SOFTWARE PACKAGE IS ALSO PRESENTED. THREE APPENDIXES PRESENT OTHER RECOMMENDED LENGTHLY STANDARD CODES: STATE/COUNTRY CODES, OCCUPATIONAL CODES, AND OFFENSE CLASSIFICATIONS. BLANK SPACE IS PROVIDED ON EACH PAGE OF THE DICTIONARY FOR TAKING NOTES.