If you have witnessed a crime in progress, or if you have experienced a crime that has already happened, you should call 911. If you are outside your local area, contact the appropriate law enforcement agency where the crime occurred.
Crime Report
The Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) collects crime reports submitted by police departments and sheriff’s offices across the State to count offenses, including criminal complaints reported and arrested, for purposes of New York State statistics, local law enforcement management, crime analysis and research, and federal statistical reporting under the National Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
A well-written crime report helps prosecutors make decisions on whether to prosecute a case. It also allows the police department to track and trend crime trends. It also serves as an important tool for law enforcement to communicate to the public about their work.
While Police Department reports have improved significantly in recent years, according to the District Attorney’s Office and a study by the Coro Foundation, deficiencies in report writing continue to be one of the reasons for the high number of cases turned down for prosecution by the DA’s Office.
The DCJS has begun to emphasize the importance of accurate and detailed reporting by encouraging agencies to transition from the traditional United Crime Reporting (UCR) system to the Integrated Crime Reporting (IBR) system. The IBR system is more user-friendly, allows agencies to enter all of their cases electronically and provides significant additional information to police management and research staff compared to UCR.
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