Washington State Criminal Justice Data Book

Data Definitions

Data in the Washington State Criminal Justice Data Book are from several different sources. This document contains information regarding the sources of data, and variable names and descriptions.

Negative values, such as –99, represent values that are not available.

Record Identifiers

§ COUNTY: Reporting county. (All Washington counties and STATE).

§ YEAR: Reporting year. (1990-2007)

County Population Estimates (Population)

Source: The State Office of Financial Management produces the county population estimates. County populations include the sum of all inhabitants within a county. Individual county age and sex populations are based on the 1990 and 2000 censuses. The statewide population estimates are calculated by a cohort-component model that uses vital statistics and migration estimates. The county-specific populations by age and sex are developed from the state's age and sex structure and individual county trends. County populations by age category may not sum to the reported total due to rounding.

Variables

Female 0-11: Females ages 0 to 11 years old.
Female 12-17: Females ages 12 to 17 years old.
Female 18-39: Females ages 18 to 39 years old.
Female 40+: Females 40 and years of age and older.
Male 0-11: Males 0 to 11 years old.
Male 12-17: Males 12 to 17 years old.
Male 18-39: Males 18 to 39 years old.
Male 40+: Males 40 years of age and older.

Reported Index Crimes

Source: Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) collects monthly reported crime statistics from participating law enforcement agencies. The Agencies participate on a voluntary basis as part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program. County annual totals include the sum of all reported UCR Crime Index offenses known to participating agencies within the county and reported to WASPC. UCR index crimes are recorded in a hierarchical fashion. Only the most serious crime is counted whenever multiple offenses are committed in a single incident. Given this "hierarchy rule," and the fact that many crimes, especially less serious ones, go unreported, the crime index necessarily under-represents the true volume of crimes committed. Nevertheless, the index is a useful indicator of the volume and types of crimes reported to police.

Variables

Murder: The willful killing of one person by another or the killing of another person through gross negligence. Also includes the non-violent offense of Controlled Substance Homicide.
Rape: The carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will. Also includes attempts to commit forcible rape.
Robbery: The taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or the threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear.
Aggravated Assault: An unlawful attack by one person upon anothe4r for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. This type of assault usually is accompanied by the use of a weapon or by means likely to produce death or great bodily harm.
Arson: The willful or malicious burning, or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another.
Burglary: The unlawful entry, or attempted entry, of a structure to commit a felony or a theft.
Theft: The unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another.
Motor Vehicle Theft: The theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle.
Total: Total number of reported UCR Crime Index offenses.

Adult Arrests

Source: The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) collect monthly reported adult arrest statistics from law enforcement agencies participating as part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program. County totals include the sum of all arrests made by individual law enforcement agencies within the county. Adult arrests include the total number or persons, 18 and older, arrested, cited, or summoned to appear in a court of law. A separate report is made for each criminal arrest but not for each criminal charge. Arrests, like reported crimes, are recorded in a hierarchical fashion where only the most serious crime is counted. Therefore, while a person arrested more than once is counted each time, each arrest is counted only once regardless of the number of crimes that may have been committed.

Variables

Murder: The willful killing of one person by another or the killing of another person through gross negligence. Also includes the non-violent offense of Controlled Substance Homicide.
Rape: The carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will. Also includes attempts to commit forcible rape.
Robbery: The taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or the threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear.
Aggravated Assault: An unlawful attack by one person upon anothe4r for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. This type of assault usually is accompanied by the use of a weapon or by means likely to produce death or great bodily harm.
Arson: The willful or malicious burning, or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another.
Burglary: The unlawful entry, or attempted entry, of a structure to commit a felony or a theft.
Theft: The unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another.
Motor Vehicle Theft: The theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle.
Drug Crimes: The violation of state and local laws relating to the unlawful possession of, sale, use, growing, manufacturing, and making of narcotic drugs, dangerous non-narcotic drugs or marijuana.
Other Crimes: The violation of state or local law that is not specifically defined above.
Total: Total number of arrests for all offenses.

Superior Court Filing

Source: The Office of the Administrator for the Courts collects Superior Court filings from the County Superior Court Clerks. A superior court filing is the initiation of a case in court by formal submission to the court of a document alleging the facts of a matter and requesting relief. A separate case filing occurs for each criminal offender defendant. The majority of felony flings are recorded electronically in the Superior Court Management Information System (SCOMIS). Court filings are recorded based on the month and year in which they are filed. They do not include information on juvenile cases unless the juvenile defendant is transferred to adult court for all subsequent proceedings.

Variables

Homicide: Cases where the primary charge involves murder, manslaughter, excusable homicide, or justifiable homicide.
Sex Crimes: Cases where the primary charge involves sexual exploitation of a minor, incest, rape, statutory rape, or indecent liberties.
Robbery: Cases where the primary charge involves theft of property by the use of force, violence, or fear of injury to a person or his or her property.
Assault: Cases where the primary charge involves assault or intent to cause another person physical harm, including malicious harassment and coercion.
Property Crimes: Cases where the primary charge involves theft of property (other than a motor vehicle), possession of stolen property, extortion, burglary, criminal trespass and taking a motor vehicle without permission.
Drug Crimes: Cases where the primary charge involves violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act or violation of regulations regarding prescription drugs.
Other Felonies: Cases where the primary charge involves a felony that is not specifically defined above.
Total: Total number of Superior Court Filings for all offenses.

Jail Average Daily Populations

Source: The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) collects jail population statistics from county operated jails, adult holding and detention facilities. County correctional facilities report jail statistics, on a voluntary basis, as part of WASPC’s Jail Information Program on a monthly basis. Jail population statistics are recorded as the Average Daily Population (ADP) and include only those jail inmates held by the reporting agency and does not include offenders participating in non-custodial programs or held in another facility, but under the jurisdiction of the reporting agency. Participating agencies also report the current capacity of jail facilities. A county’s average daily population in jail may include offenders being held or serving sentences for crimes committed in other counties. The 2002 statewide jail ADP numbers do not include all jails. Columbia, Okanogan, Pacific, Pierce, Snohomish, and Stevens counties are not included.

Variables

Pre -trial ADP: The pre-trial ADP is the average daily population of inmates who are awaiting trial or have not been adjudicated in a court of law.
Post-trial ADP: The post-trial ADP is the average daily population of inmates who have been adjudicated in court and are serving a felony or misdemeanant sentence or awaiting transportation to a State correctional facility.
Other ADP: Average daily population of inmates not identified as pre-trial or post-trial.
Total ADP: The average daily population of all offenders in jail. Pre and post-trial ADP may not equal Total ADP due to individual inmate classification differences and program changes.

Rated Capacity: Capacity is defined as the original design capacity plus or minus capacity changes resulting from building additions, reductions, or revisions.

Felony Jail Sentences

Source: The Sentencing Guidelines Commission (SGC) collects felony jail sentences from the County Superior Court Clerks. Sentencing information does not reflect the number of crimes for which offenders have been convicted. Sentences imposed by courts of limited jurisdiction, misdemeanant sentences, and sentencing options for minor or first time felony offenders are not included. A jail sentence is a court ordered incarceration sentence of less than 12 months. Sentences are recorded on a monthly basis and do not include information on juvenile cases unless the juvenile defendant has been transferred and sentenced in superior court as an adult. The reported categories are used by the Department of Corrections and the Office of Financial Management for forecasting purposes and are not identical to classifications under the Sentencing Reform Act of 1981. For example the Sex Crime categories include pornography and prostitution offenses, which are not classified as sex offences per se under the Sentencing Reform Act.

Variables:

· Murder: Sentences for crimes that involve the willful killing of one person by another or the killing of another person.

· Manslaughter: Sentences for crimes that involve the killing of one person by another through gross negligence. Also includes vehicle homicide.

· Sex Crimes: Sentences for crimes that involve sexual exploitation of a minor, incest, rape, statutory rape, indecent liberties, prostitution, or pornography related crimes.

· Robbery: Sentences for crimes that involve theft of property by the use of force, violence, fear of injury to a person or his or her property, and extortion.

· Assault: Sentences for crimes that involve an assault or intent to cause another person physical harm. Also includes malicious harassment and coercion, kidnapping, and vehicular assault.

· Burglary: Sentences for crimes that involve the unlawful entry or attempt of a structure to commit a felony or a theft including burglary 1 and 2, and residential burglary.

· Other Property Crimes: Sentences for crimes that involve theft of property, arson, forgery, possession of stolen property, criminal trespass, and taking a motor vehicle without permission.

· Drug Crimes: Sentence for crimes that involve violations of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act or regulations regarding prescription drugs. Includes dealing and possession sentences.

· Other Crimes: Sentences where the primary charge involves a felony that is not specifically defined in one of the other categories.

· Total: Total number of sentences for all offenses.

Average Felony Jail Sentences (months)

Source: The Sentencing Guidelines Commission (SGC) calculates the average felony jail sentence length based on sentencing information. The average sentences are computed for all felony convictions, excluding life and death sentences. The average sentence length is equal to the average of all sentences, by offense category, ordered by the court and may not reflect actual time served in jail.

Variables: