FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program Monthly Data Releases

Tim Ferguson announces that the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program will now release monthly crime data on the FBI's Crime Data Explorer (CDE). This means users no longer have to wait a full year for updated information, as data and revisions from participating law enforcement agencies will be published monthly to provide timely crime data and support data-driven decision making.

The FBI's UCR Program will continue its annual publication alongside the new monthly releases. The monthly data on the CDE provides preliminary trends for violent and property crimes, based on agencies submitting at least six months of data from the most recent two years, with a three-month offset for data stabilization. The annual publication, however, uses reported data and estimation procedures to provide a comprehensive view of all agencies across the country.

The annual publication estimates crime data for agencies that don't submit a full 12 months of data. Agencies submitting 3 to 11 months have their missing months estimated based on their provided data. Those submitting less than three months are estimated using data from similar agencies in the same state, considering population size, geographical location, and type of police agency (e.g., local police or sheriff's office). This ensures the annual report represents 12 months of data for all agencies nationwide.

Both the CDE's monthly trends and the annual publication's trends are correct but offer different perspectives. The CDE trend relies solely on reported data from agencies meeting specific submission criteria and updates monthly. The annual publication's trend uses estimation methodologies to account for the entire country and updates yearly. As more agencies voluntarily submit complete monthly data, the differences between these two trends are expected to diminish.

The FBI's UCR Program expresses gratitude to all agencies that voluntarily provide their data, as their participation allows the annual report to cover over 94% of the U.S. population. The FBI is committed to assisting law enforcement partners to ensure timely and reliable crime data for the public.