Primary sources of crime data include official records and large-scale survey data that are collected, compiled, and analyzed by government agencies such as the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Criminologists use crime data to measure the nature and extent of criminal behavior, as well as the personality, attitudes, and background of criminal offenders.

Imagine you are the police chief of a major metropolitan police department. You are attempting to gain a better understanding of crime trends in your city, including how it compares to other cities.

You consult your own departmental crime statistics, but you need more information. Why should you primarily consult the Uniform Crime Report (UCR), rather than other primary sources?

Consider the first three steps of the Criminal Justice Decision Making Model, and think about the questions associated with each step as you prepare to write your paper:

Step One - Define the problem (and the questions that need to be answered): Read the section titled "Primary Sources of Crime Data." Each primary source of crime data has both merits and flaws. What are the advantages of the UCR over the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)?

Step Two - Gather evidence (laws, policies, procedures, and data) and evaluate for relevancy: Research the findings of the UCR and NIBRS for the past several years. How do they differ in reporting national crime trends?

Step Three - Weigh moral considerations and direct and indirect consequences: Given increasing technological advances and improvements in crime reporting, do you believe the UCR will be supplanted by the NIBRS in the future?

Following steps Four and Five of the Criminal Justice Decision Making Model, write a two-page essay in which you discuss how, at the moment, the UCR is more accurate in reporting crime nationwide than the NIBRS.

In your opinion, what can be done to improve the crime data reporting of the UCR and NIBRS?

Incorporate your research into each body paragraph of the essay. Throughout the essay, clearly identify your primary and secondary sources of research. Be sure to cite your sources in APA format, Double spaced.

Step Four - Write your position paper, argument, or proposal using the material above.

Step Five - Balance your position by addressing alternatives and potential pitfalls.