Arrest
The act of detaining in legal custody. An "arrest" is the deprivation of a person's
liberty by legal authority in response to a criminal charge.
Backlog
A case not completed within 30 days is classified as backlogged.
CODIS
COSIS is an acronym for Combined DNA Index System, which is a computer software
program
that operates local, State, and national databases of DNA
profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence, and missing persons.
Cause of death
A description of the specific factors leading to the termination of the biological
functions that sustain life
Chemical agents
A chemical compound which has deleterious effects on human health. There are a number
of different types of chemical agents, and a range of uses for these compounds, from
crowd control to chemical warfare.
Community policing
A philosophy that promotes organizational strategies, which support the systematic use
of partnerships and problem-solving techniques betwen the police and the community.
These strategies proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public
safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime. For more information
about community policing please visit the Office of Community Oriented
Policing Services (COPS) website.
Crime laboratories
A scientific laboratory (with at least one full-time natural scientist) that examines
physical evidence in criminal matters, and provides reports and opinion testimony with
respect to such physical evidence in courts of law.
Criminal jurisdiction in Tribal areas
Jurisdiction over offenses in Indian country may lie with federal, state, or tribal
agencies depending upon the particular offense, the offender, the victim, and the
offense location. For more information on tribal jurisdiction, see Census of Tribal
Justice Agencies in Indian Country, 2002 (NCJ 205332) and also Jails in Indian Country (NCJ 1932400).
Cross deputization agreements
Allow law enforcement personnel from state and tribal entities to cross jurisdictions
in criminal cases. Cross deputization agreements have been used to enhance law
enforcement capabilities in areas were state and tribal lands were contiguous and
intermingled. Under some agreements, federal, state, county/local, and/or tribal law
enforcement officers have the power to arrest Indian and non-Indian wrongdoers
wherever
the violation of law occurs.
DNA
The abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid, which is the genetic material present in
the cells of all living organisms. DNA is the fundamental building block for an
individual's entire genetic makeup. A person's DNA is the same in every cell (with a
nucleus). DNA is contained in blood, semen, skin cells, tissue, organs, muscle, brain
cells, bone, teeth, hair, saliva, mucus, perspiration, fingernails, urine, feces, etc.
Homicide
Killing of a human being by another human being. The ARD program gathers data on
homicides that occur during an arrest process regardless of whether the homicide was
attributed to law enforcement personnel or a civilian. Homicides by law enforcement
personnel were included in the ARD collection because they resulted from a direct use
of force by law enforcement officers. However, not all homicides by law enforcement
personnel involve shooting deaths. Other types of homicides by law enforcement
officers included deaths attributed to asphyxia during restraint, injuries sustained
during an altercation, and the use of technologies such as, chemical sprays and
conducted energy devices.
Large law enforcement agencies
Non-federal departments employing 100 or more full-time sworn officers.
Law enforcement
The generic name for the activities of the agencies responsible for maintaining public
order and enforcing the law, particularly the activities of prevention, detection, and
investigation of crime and the apprehension of criminals.
Less-lethal weapons
Less-lethal technologies give police an alternative to lethal force. These weapons are
especially valuable when lethal force¿(1) is not necessary, (2) is justified and
available for backup, but lesser force may resolve the situation, (3) is justified, but
its use could cause serious injury to bystanders or other unacceptable collateral
effects. The weapons currently in use include : chemical agents, batons, soft
projectiles, and electrical devices such as stun guns and Tasers.
Local law enforcement officer
An employee of a local law enforcement agency who is an officer sworn to carry out law
enforcement duties. Examples of this class are sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, chiefs of
police, city police officers, and sworn personnel of law enforcement subunits of port
and transit authorities. For national level general data, this class includes
campus police officers employed by of local city and community college
districts.
Private campus police are excluded.
Manner of death
An explanation of how a person died, typically illustrated by a one word description
of the intentions and circumstances that led to the stated medical cause of death.
Essentially, the manner of death is the way in which death was caused and is typically
listed as natural, accident, homicide, suicide, or undetermined.
Medicolegal
Of, relating to, or concerned with medicine and law; pertaining to legal aspects of
the
practice of medicine.
Municipalities
An administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population
and
commonly denotes a city, town, or village, or a small grouping of them. A municipality
is typically governed by a mayor and a city council or municipal council.
Natural
Deaths attributed to natural agents such as illness or internal malfunctions of the
body. The majority of arrest-related deaths recorded as "natural" were due to heart
complications. Other natural deaths included complications from long term illnesses.
Process of Arrest
Any actions by law enforcement officers in an attempt to apprehend a criminal
suspect. For the purposes of the ARD program, a death occurring during the "process
of arrest" can happen any time after a law enforcement officer invokes his or her
authority to detain a criminal suspect and before custody of the suspect is
transferred to a correctional authority.
Public Law 83-280 (commonly referred to as Public Law 280 or P.L. 280)
Establishes criminal justice responsibilities among American Indian tribes with tribal
land, the states in which tribes are located, and the federal government. Public Law
280 is mandatory or optional for 204 tribes, about two-thirds of the total in the
lower
48 states. In states where P.L. 280 does not apply, the federal government retains
criminal jurisdiction for major crimes committed under the Indian Country Crimes Act
(Title 18, United States Code, Section 1152), the Indian Country Major Crimes Act
(Title 18, United States Code, Section 1153), and the Assimilative Crimes Act (Title
18, United States Code, Section 13).
Public Law 93-638
The Indian Self-Determination of Act 1975, affords tribes the opportunity to provide
for their own police departments and other institutional services through federal
grants and contracts.
Sheriff
The elected chief officer of a county law enforcement agency, usually responsible for
law enforcement in unincorporated areas and for the operation of the county jail.
Suicide
Intentional killing of oneself. BJS recorded arrest-related deaths as suicides only
if medical staff deemed the decedent deliberately took his or her life. The most
common type of suicide reported to the ARD program included decedents engaging in
armed standoffs with law enforcement prior to taking his or her life. Other suicides
occurred while law enforcement officers were attempting to apprehend the deceased, who
committed suicide to avoid being taken into custody. Drug and alcohol overdoses were
not considered to be suicides unless there was evidence the overdose was intentional.
Unintentional over use of alcohol or drugs for recreational purposes were coded
as intoxication deaths. Deaths that were submitted as suicide by cop, were
recorded in the ARD collection as homicides because the death was directly
attributed to actions taken by law enforcement personnel.
Sworn officers
Persons formally authorized to make arrests while acting within the scope of explicit
legal authority.
The Clery Act
The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act
was signed into law in 1990. It requires institutions of higher education that
participate in federal financial aid programs to keep and disclose information about
crime on and near campus. Clery Act statistics are available on the Campus Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool site.
Tribal police powers
Authority to exercise criminal jurisdiction over all tribal members and the authority
to arrest and detain non-Indians for delivery to state or federal authorities for
prosecution. These tribal police powers are generally limited to tribal lands.