CIBRS Group A Data Report

California Incident Based Reporting System (CIBRS)  /  CIBRS Group A Data Report

This web page includes Group A data from the California Incident Based Reporting System (CIBRS) crime data beginning on January 1, 2021, for nine local police agencies (Carlsbad, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Escondido, Harbor, La Mesa, National City, Oceanside, and San Diego Police Departments) and the San Diego Sheriff’s Department. CIBRS is the California specific version of the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS), which is the national, modernized system for collecting and reporting crime and arrest data in the United States.

The crime statistics shown here are not comparable to data prior to 2021, due to the new CIBRS/NIBRS reporting format. If you are looking to access historical crime data, prior to 2021, from the Uniform Crime Reporting Summary Reporting System (UCR Summary) for the San Diego region, please see the ARJIS Crime Stats website. Please note that data from these websites should not be compared as the offenses and/or crime cases are counted differently in different crime reporting systems. Additionally, the information on these crime cases below may change as new information becomes available. The data is subject to change over time, and all data is refreshed every three months.

For the past 41 years, the San Diego region has been using UCR Summary to report crime statistics. This system collects data on eight types of crime and 21 types of arrests, and only collects information on the most serious crime or highest charge that occurs within each incident.

In 2021, NIBRS became the national standard for law enforcement agencies to report crime cases and arrests to the U.S. Department of Justice. Under NIBRS agencies now collect data on 52 different types of crime, which are referred to as Group A offenses, and 8 types of arrests, referred to as Group B offenses. Group A offenses include more serious crime categories, such as Rape, Robbery and Homicide and Group B arrests include less serious crime categories such as Loitering, Driving Under the Influence (DUI), and Liquor Law Violations. Also, under NIBRS, agencies can now report up to 10 offenses per incident, not just the highest charge within each incident. 

Each state in the United States has their own specific version of NIBRS, California’s is called CIBRS or the California Incident Based Reporting System, and it is similar to NIBRS. Under CIBRS agencies report the same 52 types of Group A crimes, and eight types of Group B arrests. However, CIBRS collects additional data elements that are specific to California such as information on gang-related crimes, hate crimes, and domestic violence incidents, and these data values are not included in NIBRS.

Definition of an Incident: an incident is one or more offenses committed by the same offender, or group of offenders acting in concert, at the same time and place. To isolate unique crime incidents please use the Incident UID.

Definition of an Offense: Offenses are distinct crimes committed by a unique suspect within each incident. Law enforcement agencies must report all Group A offenses, up to 10, within a particular incident. For example, an incident can include the crimes/offenses of Rape, Motor Vehicle Theft, and Kidnapping/Abduction. Law enforcement agencies must ensure that each offense is reported as a separate, distinct crime and not just a part of another offense. To isolate unique offenses please use the CIBRS Unique Offense ID.

Crimes Against Persons = One offense for each victim of the crime

Crimes Against Property = One offense for each distinct operation of crime (except Motor Vehicle Theft where one offense is counted per stolen vehicle)

Crimes Against Society = One offense for each distinct operation of crime

Additional Details may be found at the FBI NIBRS site.

For a complete list of all offense codes and definitions please download this document.

Each CIBRS/NIBRS offense belongs in one of three categories: Crimes Against Persons, Crimes Against Property, and Crimes Against Society. Crimes Against Persons such as Murder, Rape, and Assault, are those offenses whose victims are always individuals. For counting purposes, count one offense for each victim of a Crime Against Person. Please use the CIBRS Unique Offense ID to define a unique offense.

The object of Crimes Against Property such as Robbery, Bribery, and Burglary, is to obtain money, property, or some other benefit. For counting purposes, count one offense for each distinct operation of a Crime Against Property, except for Motor Vehicle Theft, where one offense is counted for each stolen vehicle. Please use the CIBRS Unique Offense ID to define a unique offense unless you are counting the crime of Motor Vehicle Theft, in this case please use the Stolen Vehicle Count.

For Crimes Against Society count one offense for each distinct operation of Crime Against Society. Please use the CIBRS Unique Offense ID to define a unique offense.

Use the filter to the right to select a category.