UNLV gets crime stats center

Jennifer Knight

Friday, May 30, 2003 | 9:13 a.m.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, will house the state's first clearinghouse for crime statistics, a function that some believe will play a vital role in understanding crime trends in the state.

"Nevada becomes the last state in the union to have one of these centers," said Richard McCorkle, a UNLV associate professor of criminal justice who will head the new center. "It will provide a really comprehensive picture of crime and justice in Nevada."

Gov. Kenny Guinn signed the bill last week that created the Center for Analysis of Crime Statistics at UNLV.

Officials hope to have the center up and running by Jan. 1.

"It sounds to me like the university is an appropriate place to house and store this kind of data." said Greg Bortolin, Guinn's spokesman. "This is probably one of the many things that a university can provide for the community."

UNLV's new center will pull together data from local law enforcement agencies, the state prison system and other sources to create a central database with the ability to analyze information for trends and problem areas.

"These statistical analysis centers really play a critical role for the states," said Joan Weiss, executive director of the Justice Research and Statistics Association, a nonprofit organization that serves as a liaison between statistical centers and the U.S. Department of Justice.

Weiss said that such centers are used by legislators across the country to make informed decisions about the justice system.

"They provide research," Weiss said. "They provide technical assistance. Many of them conduct evaluations of the criminal justice system. They serve as the linchpin between local criminal and juvenile justice systems and the U.S. Department of Justice."

Nevada, for example, does not currently track recidivism rates on prisoners, a function the statistical center would take on, McCorkle said.

In the future, McCorkle also plans to evaluate the state's drug courts and research the issue of racial profiling.

The center was expected to be approved during the 2001 legislative session, but failed because there was a cost attached to it.

This year, UNLV did not ask for money and the center received unanimous approval from state lawmakers.

McCorkle said UNLV must still receive approval from the Board of Regents, before seeking federal funds that are specifically earmarked for crime statistic centers.

"This is a pretty ambitious task and it's going to take time," McCorkle said. "I think at some point the state will realize the contributions this center will make to the state and will want to give it the financial support it needs." Many of them conduct evaluations of the criminal justice system. They serve as the linchpin between local criminal and juvenile justice systems and the U.S. Department of Justice.