William J. Sabol has departed as the Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) for a position in the private sector. Jeri M. Mulrow is now serving as Acting Director of BJS. Jeri joined BJS in January 2016 as the Principal Deputy Director. Prior to coming to BJS, she was the Deputy Division Director for the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) at the National Science Foundation. She has 30 years of experience as an applied statistician working in government, industry, and academia. Jeri is a fellow of the American Statistical Association (ASA) and is currently serving a 3-year elected term as Vice President of ASA. She has a bachelor’s in Mathematics from Montana State University and a master’s in Statistics from Colorado State University.
12/08/15 |
New BJS Working Paper Series |
BJS has established a Criminal Justice Working Papers (CJWP) series, which provides preliminary analysis of substantive, technical, and methodological issues. These papers are works in progress designed to encourage discussion, promote the sharing of relevant findings and knowledge in a timely manner, contribute to scholarly debate, solicit constructive feedback on the research, and inform continuing work in the topic area. The views expressed in a working paper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of BJS or the U.S. Department of Justice. The authors accept responsibility for errors. Access detailed guidelines for the
BJS Working Paper Series page and read the first paper,
Federal Sentencing Disparity: 2005–2012.
11/13/15 |
BJS recognizes World Statistics Day |
Today, the Bureau of Justice Statistics—along with other principal federal statistical agencies and more than 130 countries and areas—recognizes World Statistics Day (WSD) 2015. WSD highlights the importance of statistics in shaping our societies. Visit the
United Nations website for more on activities in celebration of WSD, including specific events in the United States.
11/09/15 |
National Center for Health Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics announce fellowship opportunity |
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is seeking a full-time Associate Service Fellow to work on the National Survey of Hospital Victim Services (NSHVS). NCHS and BJS have partnered to conduct the NSHVS, which seeks to estimate the number of hospitals that provide services to victims of crime, the types of services provided, the staffing allocated to provide these services, and the types and number of victims served. The Fellow will assist with all aspects of survey design and implementation, data collection and analysis, and writing and publishing reports. Applications are due by November 6, 2015. For additional fellowship details, please visit the
CDC website.
11/05/15 |
BJS announces 60-day notice for proposed New Collection: Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law
Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey |
The Bureau of Justice Statistics encourages comments for 60 days until October 30, 2015, on a proposed New Collection: Body Worn Camera Supplement (BWCS) to the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) Survey.
Your comments to BJS’s requests to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), published in the Federal Register, should address one or more of the following four points —
| — |
whether the proposed data collection is necessary, including whether the information will have practical utility |
| — |
the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions |
| — |
whether and how the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected can be enhanced |
| — |
the burden of the information collection on respondents, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques. |
11/05/15 |
Bureau of Justice Statistics proposes revisions to ASJ, DCRP, and SJIC |
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) encourages comments for 60 days until November 3, 2015, on proposed revisions to the Annual Survey of Jails (ASJ), Death in Custody Reporting Program (DCRP) - Local Jails, Survey of Jails in Indian Country (SJIC), and DCRP - Prisons
Your comments to BJS's requests to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), published in the Federal Register, should address one or more of the following four points —
| — |
whether the proposed data collection is necessary, including whether the information will have practical utility |
| — |
the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions |
| — |
whether and how the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected can be enhanced |
| — |
the burden of the information collection on respondents, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques. |
10/02/15 |
BJS awards more than $550k to graduate research fellows |
Six doctoral students will share a total of $569,623 from the new Graduate Research Fellowship Program. The grants fund doctoral research that focuses on crime, violence, and other criminal justice-related topics.
Read the press release here.
Key Statistics is a new feature on this website. It provides easy access to trend data from BJS's core data collections. Victimization key statistics include counts and rates from 1993 through 2014 of violent crime (robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault), property crime (burglary, motor vehicle theft, and property theft), domestic violence, intimate partner violence, and serious violent crime involving injury or weapons. It also includes data on violent and property crime reported and not reported to police.
Future Key Statistics releases will cover topics such as law enforcement, courts, employment and expenditure, and background checks and firearm sales. Each Key Statistic includes a description, table, and graph, along with links to related information on the website, such as publications that include the statistics, data sources, and any available data analysis tools.
09/17/15 |
Apply Now: BJS Statistician Vacancy |
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is seeking highly motivated statisticians to carry out statistical collections in criminal victimization, law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and corrections. Job duties include consulting and collaborating with criminal justice agency representatives; performing various statistical collection activities; applying statistical theories, techniques, and methods; and preparing a variety of models, surveys, and measurements. BJS's mission is to collect, analyze, publish, and disseminate information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government. To see the full job announcement and apply.
08/20/15 |
BJS announces 60-day notice for proposed NCRP extension and NCVS Identity Theft Supplement reinstatement |
The Bureau of Justice Statistics encourages comments for 60 days until August 10, 2015, on a proposed extension of the
National Corrections Reporting Program and reinstatement of the
National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) Identity Theft Supplement (ITS) .
Your comments to BJS’s requests to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), published in the Federal Register, should address points such as—
— whether the proposed data collection is necessary, including whether the information will have practical utility
— the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
— whether and how the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected can be enhanced
— the burden of the information collection on respondents, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques.
07/29/15 |
Meet William Sabol, Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics |
Amstat News, the membership magazine of the American Statistical Association, interviewed William Sabol, director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, to learn more about him and BJS. Click to read the full
article
07/29/15 |
Opportunities for temporary assignments at BJS through IPA Mobility Program |
BJS invites individuals interested in pursuing criminal justice issues to apply for temporary assignments. Projects will be designed to focus on improving BJS’s statistical programs. Assignments may vary in duration, up to 2 years, and may be intermittent, part-time, or full-time. Visit the BJS funding page for deadlines and eligibility requirements of the
Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Mobility Program.
07/09/15 |
BJS announces 2015 Visiting Fellows: Criminal Justice Statistics Programs |
The visiting fellows program facilitates collaboration between academic scholars and government researchers in survey methodology, statistics, economics, and social sciences. Fellows conduct research at BJS or at their home site, use BJS data and facilities, and interact with BJS staff. Projects provide researchers and statisticians with a unique and challenging experience outside of their normal work environment, and BJS gains input and solutions from experts with specialized training and experience. Visit the BJS funding page for deadlines and eligibility requirements of the
2015 Visiting Fellows: Criminal Justice Statistics Programs.
07/09/15 |
BJS announces graduate research fellowship program |
Opportunities are available for individuals interested in criminal justice topics to conduct research that addresses substantive, methodological, and analytic issues relevant to BJS criminal justice data or statistical series. Researchers must use BJS data and focus on crime, violence, and other criminal justice-related topics. Visit the BJS funding page for deadlines and eligibility requirements of the
FY 2015 Graduate Research Fellowship Program for Criminal Justice Statistics.
05/15/15 |
BJS National Crime Statistics Exchange (NCS-X) solicitation conference call |
| The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) has scheduled two conference calls for potential applicants to the 2015 National Crime Statistics Exchange (NCS-X) Implementation Assistance Program: Phase I - Support for State Programs solicitation on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 3:30 pm EST and Friday, May 15, 2015 at 1:00 pm EST. Conference call details and access codes are provided below. |
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
3:30 pm | Eastern Daylight Time
(New York, GMT-04:00) | 1 hr 30 mins
WebEx Meeting
Meeting number: 640 002 332
Meeting password: Justice123!
Join by phone
+1-855-282-6330 US TOLL FREE
+1-415-655-0003 US TOLL
Access code: 640 002 332 |
|
Friday, May 15, 2015
1:00 pm | Eastern Daylight Time (New York, GMT-04:00) | 1 hr 30 mins
WebEx Meeting
Meeting number: 648 616 645
Meeting password: Justice123!
Join by phone
+1-855-282-6330 US TOLL FREE
+1-415-655-0003 US TOLL
Access code: 648 616 645 |
04/15/15 |
Joint BJS and OVC Fellowship Program |
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) has partnered with the Office of Victims of Crime (OVC) on the
Victim Assistance Professional Development Fellowship Program. The fellow will work with BJS and OVC on translating statistical findings to inform practice and policies in the victim services field. The program includes activities such as—
—gathering information on the current uses of crime and justice statistics in the victim service field
—identifying pertinent research questions for the victim service field that could be addressed through statistical data
—producing materials to disseminate relevant statistical data to key victim service stakeholders
—developing recommendations for changes to BJS data collections that would improve the use of BJS statistical data for key victim service stakeholders at the local, state, and federal levels.
Eligible applicants are practitioners or researchers in the victim service field with extensive knowledge and experience related to providing services. The fellow will be expected to work full-time, onsite in Washington, D.C. For details on the program, including deadlines and eligibility requirements, visit Victim Assistance Professional Development Fellowship Program.
04/15/15 |
BJS proposes NCVS extension |
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) encourages comments for 60 days until June 15, 2015, on a proposed extension of the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). In BJS’s request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published in the
Federal Register, comments should address points such as—
— whether the proposed data collection is necessary, including whether the information will have practical utility
— the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
— whether and how the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected can be enhanced
— the burden of the information collection on respondents, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques.
02/24/15 |
Bill Sabol introduced as BJS Director |
Bill Sabol introduced as BJS Director
On February 25, 2015, William J. Sabol, Ph.D., was introduced as the Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) by Assistant Attorney General Karol V. Mason at an Office of Justice Programs Town Hall meeting. Prior to his appointment as director—effective January 23, 2015—Bill was the Acting Director of BJS (appointed January 2013) and the Principal Deputy Director for Statistical Programs. Bill has more than 25 years of experience in research and statistics on corrections, sentencing, and justice issues in different settings, including the Government Accountability Office, where he was an Assistant Director; Case Western Reserve University, where he was Associate Director of the Center on Urban Poverty and Social Change; the Urban Institute, where as a Senior Research Associate he directed research on sentencing and social control in communities; and the University of Maryland, where he was an Assistant Professor in Afro-American Studies and Criminology. Bill’s research efforts over the years have focused primarily on criminal justice policy issues, notably on sentencing policy, the effects of incarceration on communities, and statistical issues and methods. Prior to earning his doctorate from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh, he was a Fulbright Scholar at the Institute of Criminology at Cambridge University.
02/10/15 |
BJS Proposes Methodological Research to Support the National Crime Victimization Survey |
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) encourages comments for 60 days until February 9, 2015, on proposed methodological research to support the National Crime Victimization Survey: Subnational Companion Survey—American Crime Survey Field Test. In BJS’s request to the Office of Management and Budget published in the Federal Register, written comments should address points such as—
—whether the proposed data collection is necessary, including whether the information will have practical utility
—the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
—whether and how the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected can be enhanced
—the burden of the information collection on respondents, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques.
12/20/14 |
Upcoming webinar - Understanding BJS Report: Nonfatal Domestic Violence, 2003–2012 |
BJS statisticians will participate in a webinar sponsored by the Battered Women's Justice Project, on Monday, December 8, 2014, from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm CST. They will discuss intimate partner violence (IPV) over the 10-year aggregate period from 2003 to 2012, using data from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Data will also be compared to the incidence and prevalence of IPV from other sources. Join presenters Dr. Jennifer Truman and Dr. Rachel Morgan, BJS Statisticians; Dr. Michael Planty, Chief of Victimization Statistics at BJS; Dr. Michele Lynberg Black, recently retired from the Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dr. Walter S. DeKeseredy, Anna Deane Carlson Endowed Chair of Social Sciences and Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, West Virginia University; and Dr. Sherry Hamby, Research Professor of Psychology and Director of the Life Paths Research Program, University of the South.
Learn more here and sign up today.
11/19/14 |
Upcoming Free Webinar - An Innovative Approach to Addressing Mental Health Situations (Part 1 of 3) |
In collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Statistics, on Thursday, October 9 at 2 pm EDT, the National Criminal Justice Association, the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, and the Justice Clearinghouse are sponsoring a no-cost webinar to all public safety stakeholders on effective strategies to investigate, respond to, and approach individuals with mental health issues. This noncommercial webinar will examine an effective, comprehensive strategy that the State of Arizona and local Arizona law enforcement agencies have been using to address and respond to mental health issues from both a funding and operational perspective. It is the first of a 3-part series being offered at no cost to the public safety community. Presenters include highly respected subject matter experts in the field:
- Pat Nelson, Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, Program Manager, CJ Systems Improvement;
- Sergeant Jason Winsky of the Mental Health Investigative Support Team, Tucson Police Department; and
- Sergeant Terry Staten, Pima County (AZ) Sheriff's Office.
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1447488726620865026
11/04/14 |
President Obama to Nominate William Sabol for Director of BJS |
On Friday, October 31, 2014, President Obama announced his intent to nominate William Sabol, Ph.D., for Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Dr. Sabol has served as Acting Director of BJS since 2013. He joined BJS in 2006 as Chief of Corrections Statistics Unit and became Principal Deputy Director in 2010.
Prior to his tenure at BJS, Dr. Sabol pursued careers in academia and the private sector. From 2003 to 2006, he served as the Associate Director of Homeland Security and Justice at the Government Accountability Office (GAO). This was his second role with GAO, having previously served as Senior Social Scientist from 1991 to 1995. Dr. Sabol has served as Associate Director of the Center on Urban Poverty and Social Change at the Mandel School of Applied Sciences at Case Western Reserve University (2000 to 2004), Senior Research Associate at the Urban Institute (1995 to 2000), and Project Director at Cosmos Corporation (1990 to 1991).
He began his professional career at the University of Maryland, serving first as a Faculty Research Associate in the Afro-American Studies Program (1987 to 1988), and then as an Assistant Professor of Afro-American Studies and Criminal Justice (1988 to 1991). Dr. Sabol was a Fulbright Scholar at the Institute of Criminology at the University of Cambridge from 1986 to 1987. He received a B.A. and a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.
10/10/14 |
BJS Victimization Statistics Chief Discussed Domestic Violence Live on C-SPAN (2) |
10/09/14 |
BJS Victimization Statistics Chief to Discuss Domestic Violence Live on C-SPAN (1) |
Did you know that domestic violence accounted for 21% of all violent victimization? Find out more on Oct. 10 at approximately 9:15-10 a.m. EDT as Michael Planty, chief of Victimization Statistics with the Bureau of Justice Statistics, appears live on C-SPAN’s America by the Numbers’ segment of “Washington Journal,” a television interview program that allows the public to call in or email their views. The program will highlight trends in domestic violence in America from 1994 to 2013, including data on who commits domestic violence, characteristics of the victims, why victims do not report domestic violence to police, the offender’s use of a weapon, who receives assistance from victim services organizations and who sought medical treatment. For comparison, the show will include estimates of violence committed by strangers or known acquaintances of the victims. Following the show, the BJS slide presentation will be available at http://www.bjs.gov/, where you can also access full BJS reports on domestic violence, such as Nonfatal Domestic Violence, 2003-2012 (NCJ 244697, April 2014); Intimate Partner Violence: Attributes of Victimization, 1993-2011 (NCJ 243300, November 2013); and Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2010 (NCJ 239203, November 2012).
09/17/14 |
BJS proposes Census of Publicly Funded Forensic Crime Laboratories, 2014 |
The Bureau of Justice Statistics encourages comments for 60 days until November 17, 2014 on the proposed Census of Publicly Funded Forensic Crime Laboratories. The census will provide national statistics on federal, state, county, and municipal publicly funded forensic crime laboratories that analyze physical evidence collected during criminal investigations. It will cover budgets, staffing levels, types of analyses performed, backlogs for forensic services, and accreditations. In BJS’s request to the Office of Management and Budget published in the Federal Register written comments should address points such as:
- whether the proposed data collection is necessary including whether the information will have practical utility
- the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
- whether and how the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected can be enhanced
- the burden of the information collection on respondents, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques.
09/15/14 |
Statistics and Science: A London Workshop Report |
Statistics and Science: A London Workshop Report
One hundred prominent statisticians from around the world gathered in London for a high-level meeting last November and produced Statistics and Science: A Report of the London Workshop on the Future of the Statistical Sciences. This report is written in an accessible style so people who are not experts in statistics can understand its messages and the impact of statistics on society. It is an ideal resource for university students, policymakers and the general public. The London Workshop was the capstone event of the International Year of Statistics, a year-long celebration during 2013 that drew more than 2,300 participant organizations, including BJS, from 128 countries.
09/09/14 |
BJS received policy impact award |
BJS received policy impact award
BJS and its data collection agents received the 2014 Policy Impact Award from the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) for their innovative and salient efforts to measure sexual victimization in correctional facilities under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). Allen J. Beck, Senior Statistical Advisor for BJS and program lead, accepted the award on behalf of the team at the AAPOR annual conference in Anaheim, California on May 17. The BJS data collection agents included RTI International, Westat, NORC at the University of Chicago, and the U.S. Census Bureau. Get more details from the press release, award citation, and other PREA-related reports.
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Jeffrey H. Anderson joins BJS as director
On January 25, 2016, Jeri Mulrow joined BJS as Principal Deputy Director. She comes to us from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) at the National Science Foundation where she was Deputy Division Director. Jeri has 30 years of experience as an applied statistician working in government, industry, and academia. She has a distinguished career as a statistician both in and out of the federal government. She has worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Southern Illinois University, the Statistics of Income Division at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), NORC at the University of Chicago, and Ernst & Young, LLP. Jeri is also a fellow of the American Statistical Association (ASA) and is currently serving a three-year elected term as Vice President of ASA. She has a Bachelor's in Mathematics from Montana State University and a Master's in Statistics from Colorado State University.