BJS

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is the statistical agency within the United States Department of Justice dedicated to collecting, analyzing, and disseminating data about crime and the U.S. justice system. Its mission is to provide reliable, objective statistics on crime, victims, offenders, and the functioning of law enforcement, courts, and corrections, to inform policy, research, and public understanding. BJS data cover patterns of victimization, offender characteristics, case outcomes, and the costs of justice systems at federal, state, and local levels.

BJS gathers information from household surveys, official records, and administrative data from justice agencies. Core programs include the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which tracks nonfatal crimes against individuals, and a range of data collections on prisons, jails, probation, parole, juvenile justice, and court processing. The bureau also publishes information on justice expenditures and program outcomes. BJS produces annual, periodic, and special reports, along with statistical tables, datasets, and methodological documentation.

The agency operates within the Office of Justice Programs and makes its data publicly available through its website. Its statistics are widely used by researchers, policymakers, law enforcement, courts, and the public to monitor crime trends, assess the impact of policies, and guide resource allocation. While BJS is the principal U.S. source for crime and justice statistics, its data are often complemented by information from other federal and state agencies to provide a comprehensive view of the American justice system.