The Role and Impact of Forensic Evidence on the Criminal Justice System, 2004-2008 [United States]

These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they there received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except of the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompany readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collections and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.This collection includes data gathered through three separate study designs. The first study called for tracking cases and forensic evidence through local criminal justice processes for five offenses: homicide, sexual assault, aggravated assault, robbery and burglary. Two sites, Denver, Colorado, and San Diego, California, participated in the study. Demographic data were collected on victims (Victim Data n = 7,583) and defendants (Defendant Data n = 2,318). Data on forensic evidence collected at crime scenes included DNA material (DNA Evidence Data n = 1,894), firearms evidence (Ballistics Evidence Data n = 488), latent prints (Latent Print Evidence Data n = 766), trace evidence (Other Impressions Evidence Data n = 49), and drug evidence (Drug Evidence Data n = 43). Comparisons were then made between open and closed cases from the participating sites. Two smaller studies were conducted as part of this grant. The second study was an analysis of an experiment in the Miami-Date, Florida Police Department (Miami-Data County Data n = 1,421) to determine whether clearance rates for no-suspect property crimes could be improved through faster processing of DNA evidence. The third study was a survey of 75 police departments across the nation (Crime Labs Survey Data) to obtain information on the organizational placement, staffing and responsibilities of crime lab units.

本数据集隶属于美国刑事司法数据档案馆（National Archive of Criminal Justice Data, NACJD）的快速发布项目，按数据提交者原始提交的状态进行分发。数据集文件已由NACJD打包用于发布，除移除直接识别信息外，未经过其他核查或处理流程。用户可参阅本数据集配套的readme文件以了解本次发布的数据集文件概况，如需更多信息请咨询相关研究者。

本次数据集收录了三项独立研究设计所采集的数据。第一项研究旨在追踪5类犯罪（杀人罪、强奸罪、加重故意伤害罪、抢劫罪与入室盗窃罪）的案件及法医证据在当地刑事司法流程中的流转情况，共有两个研究站点参与本项研究，分别为美国科罗拉多州丹佛市与加利福尼亚州圣迭戈市。研究采集了被害人（被害人数据集，n=7583）与被告人（被告人数据集，n=2318）的人口统计学数据。犯罪现场采集的法医物证数据包括脱氧核糖核酸（DNA）物证（DNA物证数据集，n=1894）、枪支弹药物证（弹道物证数据集，n=488）、潜指纹物证（潜指纹物证数据集，n=766）、微量物证（其他痕迹物证数据集，n=49）以及毒品物证（毒品物证数据集，n=43）。随后研究对参与站点的已结案与未结案案件进行了对比分析。

本资助项目还开展了两项小型研究。第二项研究针对佛罗里达州迈阿密-戴德县警察局开展的一项实验进行分析（迈阿密-戴德县数据集，n=1421），旨在探究通过加快DNA证据的处理流程，能否提升无嫌疑人财产犯罪案件的破案率。第三项研究为针对全美75个警察局开展的问卷调查（犯罪实验室调查数据集），用于收集犯罪实验室部门的组织架构、人员配置与职能职责相关信息。