Standardizing the Display of IBR Data:
Drug Offenses - Offender Suspected of Using

Data Collection

The Offender Suspected of Using entry is captured in the Offense segment.   According to the FBI Data Collection Guidelines, the Offender(s) Suspected of Using data element is used to indicate whether any of the offenders in the incident were suspected of consuming alcohol or using drugs/narcotics during or shortly before the incident.  This data element is also used to indicate whether a computer, computer terminal, or other computer equipment were used to perpetrate the crime.  Up to three entries can be made and there are 4 allowable entries:

The N 'Not Applicable' code is mutually exclusive of any other categories, and should only be used in the first entry.

Data Quality Issues

If the Type of Criminal Activity is listed as 'using/consuming', then the information should also be captured in the Offender Suspected of Using data element.  Since the Type of Criminal Activity element must be completed only for certain offenses, it does not hold true that the Offender Suspected of Using information is required in the Type of Criminal Activity element.

To create the table below, select offenses that indicated 'using/consuming' in the Type of Criminal Activity element.  A simple frequency table of the type of items listed in the Offender Suspected of Using element is created.  When we look at the table below, we see that even though the offender is reported as using or consuming an illegal substance, in 55% of these offenses, the offender is not suspected of using drugs, alcohol, or a computer. 

To recreate this table using your data in SPSS, download the syntax file.  If you need assistance using this file, please contact JRSA.