PERF In The News - Detail Info

09/29/2011

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Thousands of sexual assaults are not reflected in the UCR system because it uses an archaic definition of rape that is narrower than the definitions used by most police departments, according to police chiefs and other experts who discussed the definition and other sexual assault-related issues at a PERF conference in Washington last Friday. UCR Unit Chief Greg Scarbro told participants at the PERF meeting that the FBI agrees the definition should be revised and that an FBI subcommittee will take up the issue on Oct. 18. "Our goal will be to leave that meeting with a [new] definition and a mechanism," Mr. Scarbro said. But he noted that law enforcement agencies would have to support any change.

More info: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/29/us/federal-rules-on-rape-statistics-criticized.html