Association of State

Uniform Crime Reporting Programs

Annual Conference

Bea Hanson

Acting Director

Office on Violence Against Women

U.S. Department of Justice

The Mission of the Office on Violence Against Women

To provide federal leadership in developing and expanding the nation’s capacity to reduce violence against women.

To administer justice for and strengthen services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) provides programs & services, including:

Community violence prevention programs Protections for victims who are evicted from their

homes Funding for victim assistance services Programs to meet the needs of immigrant women

and women of different ethnicities Programs and services for victims with disabilities Legal aid for survivors of violence

Sexual Assault and Rape

Between two-third’s and three quarters of all rapes are never reported to the criminal justice system, and among those that are reported, attrition at various levels dramatically reduces the number of actual prosecutions.

Understanding the Predatory Nature of Sexual Violence, David Lisak, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Boston

Why is a Change to the UCR Definition of Rape Important?More than 1 million women are raped in a year

“Rape is rape is rape” - Vice President Biden

Nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men in the US have been raped at some time in their

lives, translating to approximately 22 million women and 1.6 million men

Victimization Starts Early in Life

Approximately 80% of female victims experienced first rape before age 25 and almost half before age 18

About 35% of women who were raped as minors were also raped as adults

28% of male victims of rape were first raped when they were 10 years old or younger

Three Fundamental Realities:

1. Most interpersonal violence is perpetrated by individuals who in some way are known to the victim.

2. Most of this violence is never reported to authorities.

3. Most perpetrators of this violence are never prosecuted.

The Case of College StudentsStudies have shown: Over 80% of undetected college rapists

reported committing rapes of women who were incapacitated because of drugs or alcohol.

Only 2% of victims of incapacitated rape report the assault to law enforcement.

63% of college rapists reported committing repeat rapes, averaging six rapes each.

Serial and Crossover Offending

Between 33% and 66% of rapists have also sexually attacked children.

Up to 82% of child molesters have also sexually attacked adults.

Between 50% and 66% of incest offenders have also sexually attacked children outside their families.

History and Background

OLD DEFINITIONForcible rape: The carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will.

- Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) Summary Reporting System (SRS)

Uniform Crime Reports Summary Reporting System

The UCR is the national “report card” on serious crime.

What gets reported through the UCR is how we, collectively, view crime in this

country.

Collaboration

The White House

Survivors and

Advocates

The Departmentof

Justice

State and Local Law Enforcement

Chronology / Timeline

Senate Hearing Raising Questions about UCR: September 14, 2010White House and DOJ meetings, including meetings with stakeholders: Summer 2011CJIS Regional Workgroups: August 16-18, 2011(PERF Meeting: September 23, 2011)Feedback gathered from NSA: September and October 2011CJIS UCR Subcommittee: October 18, 2011CJIS Advisor Policy Board (APB): December 6, 2011FBI Director Mueller Approves Change: December 21, 2011Change Announced by Attorney General: January 6, 2012

The New Definition

The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.

Implementation

Police Executive Research Forum Survey of over 500 police chiefs nationwide: 80% felt current definition was inadequate

96% felt updates to definition would not be a significant barrier to reporting UCR data

50% estimated the financial impact of implementing change to be zero

26% estimated the impact at under $15,000

Office on Violence Against Women Programs and Resources

Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders (Arrest Program)

Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors (STOP) Violence Against Women Formula Grants to States

Contact

Bea Hanson, Acting Director

Office on Violence Against Women

U.S. Department of Justice

(202) 514-9556

Bea.Hanson@usdoj.gov