Domestic and Sexual Violence Data Collection

This research report, supported by the National Institute of Justice and the Bureau of Justice Statistics, looks at how States and the Federal Government collect data on the incidence of sexual and domestic violence offenses. It identifies ways in which States could centralize data collection and examines problems of Federal statistical recordkeeping of criminal complaints of domestic violence-related. Information for the report came from, a panel of experts on sexual and domestic violence and a survey of the States. The most significant finding was that the Federal Government and a majority of States (35 for domestic violence and 30 for sexual violence) gather annual statistics on these crimes. To improve reporting and to obtain more comprehensive statistics will require coordination and cooperation at all levels of government. As mandated by Congress in the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, the report represents first step in analyzing how to ensure reliable statistics on the extent and nature of violent crimes against women.