In 2005, Alexandria police reported four murders in the city. The state of Virginia, in a report issued late last week, said there were three.
How does a discrepancy like that happen? Apparently because of computer errors and varying methods of counting crime.
“There is a potential for a disconnect between individual jurisdictions and the state process for capturing data,” Alexandria Deputy Chief David Baker said Thursday. “You have got software, computer and human issues coming into play and the fact of the matter is, they published a report before anyone has finalized their crime data.”
This year, the FBI moved up the state’s deadline for sending statistics to March 15, said Norma Poole, Virginia State Police statistics coordinator. The FBI has since extended the date to Monday.
By the numbers:
In the seven major crime categories, Alexandria reported 4,008 crimes in 2005, including four murders. The state’s Crime in Virginia 2005 report counted 3,788 major crimes, including three murders.
There were 8,070 crimes reported in 2005 by Prince William County using the same seven categories, compared to 8,334 crimes reported by the state.
Finalized 2005 statistics from Fairfax and Arlington counties have not been completed.
The state’s records show there were nearly 900 errors in reports Alexandria submitted to the state that weren’t corrected by the deadline, including a glitch that did not transmit any car thefts for two months, Poole said.
Baker said his staff is working to resolve any software, coding or other issue that could lead to incorrect statistics.
Varying computer systems also contribute to discrepancies.
All jurisdictions in Virginia must use the National Incident-Based Reporting system to submit reports to the state, however, there are 19 different companies that sell the software and each jurisdiction has a “system that suited their needs the most,” Poole said.
“There is no way everybody’s system is going to have the same numbers. IBR is constantly changing,” Poole said.
Prince William County reports crime using a uniform crime data system, but also sends data to the state using IBR.
“If you have a burglary and a robbery in the same incident, the greater crime would be counted” using the former system, said Prince William County Police Chief Charles Deane. “It would be counted as two crimes under IBR.”
Investigations can result in a crime being reclassified or unfounded months or years later, changing the statistics, said Matt Martin, an Arlington County police spokesman.
