WHAT IS LIBRS?
In 2003, Louisiana modeled the Louisiana Incident-Based Reporting System (LIBRS) after the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) program. LIBRS is a statistical records system that collects and reports crime data via way of a LIBRS compatible Records Management System (RMS). Data can be received from participating Louisiana law enforcement agencies and affords agencies the capability to submit crime statistics to the FBI electronically. LIBRS was created by the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement in partnership with the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association.
WHY IMPLEMENT LIBRS?
Preparing and submitting Uniform Crime Reports/ Summary Reports are sometimes complicated and always time consuming. A growing number of Louisiana agencies no longer need to compute (manually or otherwise) Summary reports because they now participate in LIBRS. A growing number of Records Management Systems (RMS) now have the capability to interface with LIBRS. In addition, LIBRS collects much more detailed crime data than the traditional summary reports, which is useful in planning, statistics and accurate record keeping.
KEY FEATURES
- Centralized data repository
- Automated data processing & report generation
- User security management
- Web portal for data submission from various Records Management Systems & report retrieval
- Submitted data CANNOT enter the LIBRS database until that data has been validated and quality controlled
- Converts data to NIBRS format and submits to FBI
- LIBRS database archives all submitted data for future analysis
HOW LIBRS WORKS
Agencies choosing to report crime data by means of LIBRS will be collecting detailed data regarding individual crime incidents and arrests and submit them in separate reports using prescribed data values to describe each incident and arrest. Once the data is submitted through a FTP site it will be ran through a validation check in the LIBRS system recording the crime stats sanctioned by the Louisiana Legislature and then another validation check recording the crime stats for Federal authorized laws the FBI wants to record. If the LIBRS system finds errors, an error file is generated with the incidents with errors and the agency must correct the errors and resubmit the incidents with the next month’s submission (Your RMS will automatically re-submit the corrected incidents). If no errors are found in the LIBRS file it is automatically sent up to the NIBRS system. If no errors are found in the LIBRS error check the file is forwarded to the NIBRS system if errors are found an error file if produced and the errors send back for correction to be resubmitted in the next month’s submission (Your RMS will automatically resubmit the corrected incidents). If no errors are found then the incidents are recorded in the NIBRS incident Database.
BENEFITS
LIBRS reporting has several benefits over LUCR reporting due to the facts it pulls from each incident. LIBRS allows for all reportable offenses within an incident to be identified, not just those provided by the hierarchy rule and not just the limited offenses collected in Summary. In LIBRS incidents are group by Group A and Group B. LIBRS collects data on each single incident and arrest within 22 offenses categories made up of 46 specific crimes called Group A offenses. There are 11 Group B offense categories, for which only arrest data is reported.
It is a vital instrument in the war against crime in the capability to identify with precision when and where crime takes place, what form it takes and the characteristics of its victims and perpetrators. Law Enforcement when furnished with such information can make their case to acquire the resources it needs to combat crime. This will allow Law Enforcement the capability of producing more detailed, accurate, and meaningful data than those produced by the traditional UCR Program.
Grant money is also tied to crime reporting, if you report LIBRS you are eligible to apply.