NCJ Number
196528
Date Published
August 2002
Length
30 pages
Annotation
This document identifies the goals of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) for the fiscal year 2003-2004.
Abstract
BJS is responsible for the collection, analysis, publication, and dissemination of statistical information on crime and the operations of justice systems at all levels of government. BJS has emerged as the principal fact-finding agency in the Nation, dealing with the administration of American justice. BJS’s most fundamental accomplishment is providing accurate and objective information to Federal, State, and local policymakers in combating crime and ensuring that justice is both efficient and even-handed. BJS maintains over three dozen major statistical series designed to cover every stage of the criminal justice system. BJS statistics are published annually on the following topics: criminal victimization, populations under correctional supervision, and Federal criminal offenders and case processing. BJS provides financial and technical support to State and local governments to develop their capabilities to provide criminal justice statistics. The plan for 2003-2004 has four main components. The first component is an overview of recent crime and justice trends for purposes of identifying and measuring the problem. The trends analyzed are in violence, law enforcement, prosecution and adjudication, corrections, Federal criminal justice, fairness in the criminal justice system, and criminal history records. The second component is a statement of BJS mission, strategic goals, and performance measurement concepts. The third component is a description of each strategic goal and associated outcomes. Some of these goals are producing statistics on crime and justice, improving criminal records and local statistics, and insuring public access to data and statistics. The fourth component is a description of the role of professional review in strategic and program planning, including internal assessments, external assessments, and public access and replicability of findings.