Response to the Uniform Crime Report's Hierarchy rule
I believe that the UCR’s hierarchy rule negatively influences the data represented by the report. It is completely nonsensical of the FBI to publish a “uniform crime report” and not include all of the crimes. In a way, it is exactly like working two part-time jobs and only reporting your earnings from the higher paying one to the IRS on your income taxes. Something tells me that the federal government would not allow that in this circumstance; which begs the question, why would they be so accepting of mediocrity when it comes to the UCR?
In addition, what kind of message is it sending to the victims of these so-called, ‘lesser’ crimes that they are not important enough to be recorded? How are these people supposed to feel? Will they even bother to call the police the next time a crime is committed against them? Statistics say no. The dark figure of crime exists because of situations like this where the victims of crime are left feeling completely and utterly abandoned by a system that apparently only favors a wow-factor.
Emotional semantics aside, the UCR’s conscious decision to omit lesser crimes committed per individual dramatically alters the real life picture of crime in America. Much of the crime that is committed is done so in sprees, burglary, auto theft, drug possession, manslaughter, etc. none of these things are mutually exclusive and all of them are deserving of a place in the official and ‘uniform’ crime report, regardless of the offender or the time frame within which the offense(s) occurred.
In addition, what kind of message is it sending to the victims of these so-called, ‘lesser’ crimes that they are not important enough to be recorded? How are these people supposed to feel? Will they even bother to call the police the next time a crime is committed against them? Statistics say no. The dark figure of crime exists because of situations like this where the victims of crime are left feeling completely and utterly abandoned by a system that apparently only favors a wow-factor.
Emotional semantics aside, the UCR’s conscious decision to omit lesser crimes committed per individual dramatically alters the real life picture of crime in America. Much of the crime that is committed is done so in sprees, burglary, auto theft, drug possession, manslaughter, etc. none of these things are mutually exclusive and all of them are deserving of a place in the official and ‘uniform’ crime report, regardless of the offender or the time frame within which the offense(s) occurred.