This paper explains that the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program only records data from known offenders, or people
who are arrested by police departments in the USA , but does not take into consideration findings of a court, coroner, jury, or the decision of a prosecutor. The author reports that the UCR can be improved by including a measure of
unreported crimes and changing
outdated definitions of specific crimes. The paper stresses that, while law enforcement uses the UCR as a resource, the UCR also is an important social indicator for politicians, the media, and thus the greater American public; therefore, the UCR should begin to reflect the needs of this broader population in its mandate. Table of Contents Introduction Criticism of the UCR Means to Improve the UCR Conclusion