National Crime Victimization Survey
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The National Crime Victimization Survey, which relies on self-reports
of victimization, is an ongoing annual survey conducted by the federal
government (i.e., the Census Bureau on behalf of the Department of Justice)
that collects information from a representative sample of nearly
100,000 noninstitutionalized adults (age 12 and over) from approximately
50,000 households. It is widely viewed as a “gold standard” for measuring
crime victimization. The largest and oldest of the crime victimization
studies, it uses a rotating panel design in which respondents are interviewed
several times before they are “retired” from the sample. It uses a
relatively short, six-month reporting period. Respondents are instructed
to report only incidents that have occurred since the previous interview
and are reminded of the incidents they reported then. The initial interview
is done face-to-face to ensure maximum coverage of the population;
if necessary, subsequent interviews are also conducted in person. The
TABLE 2-1 Selected Sources of Firearm Data
Sponsoring
Title of Data Set Agency Information Available
Firearm-Related Injury/Death
National Vital National Center Includes total numbers of firearm related
Statistics for Health deaths; death rates from homicide,
System—Final Statistics/ suicide, unintentional, and undetermined
Mortality Data Centers for shootings broken out by age, race, and
(NVSSF) Disease Control sex
and Prevention
National Vital National Center Provides data on selected major causes of
Statistics for Health death, as well as sex, race, age, date of
System—Current Statistics/ death, state in which death occurred
Mortality Sample Centers for
(NVSS) Disease Control
and Prevention
National Violent Centers for Data on violent deaths linked from
Death Reporting Disease Control medical examiners and coroners, police
System (NVDRS) and Prevention departments, death certificates, and crime
labs; would include circumstances of
firearm-related incidents
National Census of Bureau of Labor Complete count of all work-related injury
Fatal Occupational Statistics fatalities; includes job-related homicides
Injuries (CFOI) broken out by weapon
Survey of Bureau of Labor Includes information on circumstances
Occupational Injuries Statistics surrounding firearm-related injuries in
and Illnesses (SOH) the workplace
National Traumatic National Includes narrative text on industry,
Occupational Fatality Institute for occupation, cause of death, and injury
Surveillance System Occupational data on age, race, and sex; includes
(NTOF) Safety and numbers and rates of firearm-related
Health homicides, suicides, and other deaths
occurring at work
National Electronic U.S. Consumer Includes intentional and nonintentional
Injury Surveillance Products Safety nonfatal firearm-related injuries by
System All Injury Commission gender, age, type of injury, type of gun,
Program (NEISS- and nature of incident
AIP)
National Hospital National Center Injury visits to hospital emergency
Ambulatory Medical for Health departments, including those caused by
Care Survey Statistics firearms
(NHAMCS)
Geographic Frequency/
Population Areas Year Started
Deceased individuals National Annual/death
(data from death registration for
certificates) all states started
1933, detailed
demographic
data ftom 1989
Deceased individuals National Annual death
(data from death registration for
certificates) all states started
1933
Homicide, suicide, and National Under
unintentional firearm- development
related deaths, and
deaths of undetermined
causes
Employed civilians 16 National Annual/
years of age and older, started 1992
plus resident armed
forces
Injuries reported by National Annual/
employers in private started 1992
industry
Workers age 16 and National Data available
older certified on death from 1980
certificate as injured at
work
Admissions to hospital National Updated daily/
emergency departments redesigned
1978; all
injuries
included
starting in 2000
Admissions to hospitals National Annual/
with emergency started 1992
departments
continued
TABLE 2-1 Continued
Sponsoring
Title of Data Set Agency Information Available
National Ambulatory National Center Includes age, sex, race, ethnicity, source
Medical Care Survey for Health of payment, and circumstances of injury-
(NAMCS) Statistics related visits, including firearm
involvement
National Health National Center Demographic information, physician and
Interview Survey for Health hospital visits, and other health-related
(NHIS) Statistics information; includes gunshot wounds
and type of gun; 1994 supplement on
firearm storage and safety
National Mortality National Center 1993 survey included information on
Followback Survey for Health firearm access, and circumstances of
(NMFS) Statistics homicide, suicide, and unintentional
injury deaths
Data Elements for National Center Standardized data definitions, coding,
Emergency for Injury and other specifications
Department Systems Prevention and
(DEEDS) Control (CDC)
International World Health External causes of injury in mortality and
Classification of Organization morbidity systems, including mechanism
External Causes of of injury
Injury (CECI)
Firearms Industry and Retail
Annual Firearms Bureau of Number of firearms produced, by type
Manufacturing and Alcohol,
Exportation Report Tobacco, and
(AFMER) Firearms
Census of Bureau of the Number of manufacturers, shipments,
Manufacturers Census value, employment, payroll, and
shipments by type of product for small
arms manufacturing and small arms
ammunition industries
Producer Price Index Bureau of Labor Prices and price change at wholesale
(PPI) Statistics level for various categories of firearms,
including “small arms” in general,
“pistols and revolvers,” “shotguns,” and
“rifles, centerfire”
Geographic Frequency/
Population Areas Year Started
Patient visits to office- National Annual/
based, nonfederally 1995—detailed
employed physicians injury
questions
added,1997-
intent of injury
added
Civilian, National Annual/
noninstitutionalized U.S. 1996—detailed
households injury section
added
Persons age 15 and older National Irregular
who died in the year of frequency/
the survey started in 1960s
24-hour, hospital-based National Under
emergency departments development
Hospital emergency International Under
department records development
Firearms manufacturers National Annual
Manufacturers National
Producers in the mining National Monthly/
and manufacturing started 1902
industries
continued
TABLE 2-1 Continued
Sponsoring
Title of Data Set Agency Information Available
Federal Firearms Bureau of Licensee name, trade name, address,
Licensee (FFL) List Alcohol, phone, and license number
Tobacco, and
Firearms
Criminal Use of Firearms
National Crime Bureau of Victimizations, involving a firearm, by
Victimization Survey Justice Statistics type of crime
(NCVS)
Uniform Crime Federal Bureau Total numbers of specific violent and
Reporting Program of Investigation property crimes, includes counts of
(UCR): Monthly weapon type used for robberies and
Return of Offenses aggravated assaults
Known to Police
Uniform Crime Federal Bureau Incident, victim, property, offender, and
Reporting Program: of Investigation arrestee data on each incident and arrest
National Incident- in 22 crime categories
Based Reporting
System (NIBRS)
Uniform Crime Federal Bureau Detailed descriptions of homicides,
Reporting Program: of Investigation including weapon used
Supplemental
Homicide Reports
(SHR)
Youth Crime Gun Bureau of Proportion of crime guns that are
Interdiction Initiative Alcohol, recovered from juveniles, youth, and
(YCGII) Tobacco, and adults; top source states; type of gun
Firearms used; “time to crime”
BATF Firearms Bureau of Firearms transaction records kept by
Trace Data Alcohol, federal firearms licensees, including date
Tobacco, and of sale and name of purchaser
Firearms
Law Enforcement Federal Bureau Duty-related deaths and assaults of law
Officers Killed and of Investigation enforcement officers, by weapon used in
Assaulted (LEOKA) incident
Federal Justice Bureau of Data on federal criminal case processing
Statistics Program Justice Statistics from the receipt of a criminal matter or
(FJSP) arrest of suspect to release from prison
into supervision
Geographic Frequency/
Population Areas Year Started
Federal firearms National
licensees, except
collectors of curios and
relics
Persons 12 years of age National Annual/
and older started 1973
Crimes reported by city, National Monthly/
county, and state law started 1930
enforcement agencies
Criminal incidents National Started 1989,
reported by local, state, under
and federal law development
enforcement agencies
Criminal incidents National Started 1976
reported by police
departments
Guns recovered from 55 cities in Annual/
juveniles and adult 2001 started 1997
criminals
Firearms submitted by National Record-keeping
law enforcement for started 1968
tracing
Local, state, and federal National Annual
law enforcement officers
Defendants in criminal National Annual
cases, suspects in
investigative matters, and
offenders under
supervision
continued
TABLE 2-1 Continued
Sponsoring
Title of Data Set Agency Information Available
Census of State and Bureau of Demographic, socioeconomic, and
Federal Correctional Justice criminal history characteristics, including
Facilities Statistics/ gun possession and use
Bureau of the
Census
National Violence National Prevalence, incidence, characteristics,
Against Women Institute of risk factors, circumstances, responses,
Survey (NVAWS) Justice/ Centers and consequences of rape, intimatefor
Disease partner assault and stalking; includes
Control and data on firearm use in these events
Prevention
Arrestee Drug Abuse National Gun acquisition and use among
Monitoring Institute of arrestees, including gun carrying,
(ADAM~-gun Justice reasons for owning a gun, being
addendum threatened with a gun, and drug use
Firearms and Youth
Monitoring The National Range of behaviors and attitudes with
Future (MTF) Institute on focus on drug use; includes frequency of
Drug Abuse gun carrying at school
Youth Risk Behavior Centers for Prevalence of health risk behaviors
Surveillance System Disease Control including gun-carrying, weapon carrying
(YRBSS) and Prevention on school property, and weapon-related
threats or injuries on school property
Law and Enforcement
Firearm Inquiry Bureau of Handgun applications made to FFLs,
Statistics (FIST) Justice Statistics applications rejected, and reasons for
rejection
Geographic Frequency/
Population Areas Year Started
State correctional facility National Every 5 to 7
inmates years/started
1974
U.S. households National Unrepeated/
conducted 1996
Arrestees charged with National 1996—gun
felonies and (gun addendum
misdemeanors addendum
includes 11
of the 35
sites)
6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th National Annual/
graders and young adults started 1972,
up to age 19 gun question
added in 1996
School-age youth grades National Every two
9 through 12; also 12- to years/started
21-year-olds in 1992 and 1990
college students in 1995
Chief law enforcement States Started 1995
officers operating
under the
Brady Act
and states
with
statutes
comparable
to the
Brady Act
continued
TABLE 2-1 Continued
Sponsoring
Title of Data Set Agency Information Available
Survey of State Bureau of State laws, regulations, procedures, and
Procedures Related to Justice Statistics information systems related to sales and
Firearm Sales other transactions of firearms
Firearms Ownership
General Social National Prevalence of ownership, type of gun
Survey (GSS) Opinion owned, opinion on permit and control
Research Center issues, and gun threat incidents
National Study of National Firearm ownership, acquisition, storage,
Private Ownership of Institute of and defensive use; size, number, and
Firearms in the Justice type of firearms owned
U.S.
Survey of Gun National Characteristics of gun ownership, gun
Owners in the Institute of carrying, and circumstances of weapon-
U.S. Justice related incidents
NCVS and its predecessor, the National Crime Survey, underwent lengthy
development periods featuring record check studies and split-ballot
experiments to determine the best way to measure crime victimization
(Tourangeau and McNeeley, 2003).
Although the NCVS data do many things right, they are, like any such
system, beset with methodological problems of surveys in general as well as
particular problems associated with measuring illicit, deviant, and deleterious
activities (see National Research Council, 2003). Such problems include
nonreporting and false reporting, nonstandard definitions of events,
sampling problems such as coverage and nonreponse, and an array of other
factors involved in conducting surveys of individuals and implementing
official data reporting systems. Measurement problems have been particularly
controversial in using the NCVS to assess defensive gun uses (see
Chapter 5 and National Research Council, 2003, for further details).
In contrast to the NCVS, many other data sources used to measure or
monitor violence and crime are assembled as part of administrative records.
Geographic Frequency/
Population Areas Year Started
Federal, state, and local National Annual/
agencies, including law 1996
enforcement, statistical
analysis centers, and
legislative research
bureaus
Noninstitutionalized National Biannual/
adults started 1972
U.S. households National Unrepeated/
conducted in
1994
Adults age 18 and older National Unrepeated/
conducted in
1996