Advisory Board Subcommittee Votes to Change Definition of Rape in Uniform Crime Reporting Program

The CJIS Advisory Policy Board (APB)

The FBI established the CJIS Advisory Process to obtain the user community’s advice and guidance on the operation of all CJIS programs. The philosophy underlying the advisory process is one of shared management; that is, the FBI, along with local and state data providers and system users, shares responsibility for the operation and management of all systems administered by the FBI for the benefit of the criminal justice community.

The APB is responsible for reviewing appropriate policy, technical, and operational issues related to CJIS Division programs and for making appropriate recommendations to the Director of the FBI. The APB meets at least twice during each calendar year. A notice of these meetings is published in the Federal Register, and the meetings are conducted in open session unless determined otherwise by the designated federal officer (DFO). The DFO is an FBI employee appointed by the FBI Director to serve as a management officer in coordinating, scheduling, and approving the working groups and APB meetings as well as other APB activities. The APB is composed of 34 representatives from criminal justice agencies and national security agencies throughout the United States.

The CJIS Advisory Policy Board Ad-Hoc Subcommittees

The DFO, in consultation with the board chair, with FBI approval, and in accordance with applicable law, may create ad hoc subcommittees as needed to assist the APB in carrying out its duties. Subcommittees are composed of APB members and other subject-matter specialists. Subcommittees are established to thoroughly review controversial policies, issues, program changes, and formulate alternatives and recommendations for the consideration of the entire APB. The subcommittees typically meet twice a year and their meetings are closed to the public.

The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Ad Hoc Subcommittee is responsible for reviewing issues regarding the UCR program, to include the UCR Summary System as well as the National Incident-Based Reporting System, Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, and Hate Crimes. The FBI UCR Summary Reporting System definition of rape was one of the issues reviewed by this subcommittee at its meeting in Baltimore on October 18, 2011.

At the meeting, members of the subcommittee conducted lengthy discussion on this topic and agreed to recommend revision of the FBI UCR Summary Reporting System definition of rape. The subcommittee recommendation will be considered for final approval by the full APB at its December meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Specific details regarding the revised definition may be found at: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/advisory-policy-board.