Crime Statistics for 2008

The FBI released the crime statistics for 2008 today. As the chart to the left (from the press release) demonstrates for violent crimes the rates dropped between 2007 and 2008.

This data demonstrates one of the factors to always keep in mind when searching for statistics. It is September 14th and we are just now able to view crime statistics for last year. This is because it takes time to compile the data from all over the country, so when searching for statistics, always keep in mind that most recent data available may be a year or two old.

This data comes from the FBI publication "Crime in the United States 2008" which is available in its entirety online. In this online version you can find tables, such as "Offenses Known to Law Enforcement, by State by University and College, Colorado, 2008," which has the number of crimes reported to law enforcement on each campus. When looking at this table, and any other table for that matter, it is important to keep track of those footnotes. As you will see this table based its enrollment figures on 2007 data, despite the fact that this is 2008 crime statistics. This data all comes from the Uniform Crime Reports, which has archived data and publications back to the mid-1990s for the majority and its publications.

Still want more crime and justice information? Check out the library's guide.

GAO Reports This Week

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week GAO investigated social security, military bases, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and other topics. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

1. Information Technology: DOD Needs to Strengthen Management of Its Statutorily Mandated Software and System Process Improvement Efforts. GAO-09-888, September 8.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-888
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09888high.pdf

2. Employee Misclassification: Improved Coordination, Outreach, and Targeting Could Better Ensure Detection and Prevention. GAO-09-717, August 10.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-717
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09717high.pdf

3. Social Security Disability: Additional Performance Measures and Better Cost Estimates Could Help Improve SSA's Efforts to Eliminate Its Hearings Backlog. GAO-09-398, September 9.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-398
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09398high.pdf

4. Homeland Defense: U.S. Northern Command Has a Strong Exercise Program, but Involvement of Interagency Partners and States Can Be Improved.
GAO-09-849, September 9.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-849
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09849high.pdf

5. Military Base Realignments and Closures: Transportation Impact of Personnel Increases Will Be Significant, but Long-Term Costs Are Uncertain and Direct Federal Support Is Limited. GAO-09-750, September 9.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-750
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09750high.pdf

6. Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Options Exist to Enhance Transportation Planning Capacity and Federal Oversight. GAO-09-868, September 9.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-868
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09868high.pdf

7. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: Analysis of Options for Revising the Housing Enterprises' Long-Term Structures. GAO-09-782, September 10.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-782
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09782high.pdf


Related Product

1. Survey of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (GAO-09-867SP, September 2009), an E-supplement to GAO-09-868. GAO-09-867SP, September 9. [Internet only] http://www.gao.gov/special.pubs/gao-09-867sp/

2. Wildland Fire Management: Federal Agencies Have Taken Important Steps Forward, but Additional, Strategic Action Is Needed to Capitalize on Those Steps. GAO-09-877, September 9.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-877
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09877high.pdf

3. Aviation Weather: FAA and the National Weather Service Are Considering Plans to Consolidate Weather Service Offices, but Face Significant Challenges. GAO-09-761,
September 9.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-761
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09761high.pdf

4. United States Merchant Marine Academy: Internal Control Weaknesses Resulted in Improper Sources and Uses of Funds; Some Corrective Actions Are Under Way. GAO-09-635, August 10.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-635
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09635high.pdf


Testimonies

1. Afghanistan and Pakistan: Oversight of U.S. Interagency Efforts, by Jacquelyn Williams-Bridgers, managing director, international affairs and trade, before the Subcommittee on national security and foreign affairs, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-09-1015T, September 9.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-1015T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d091015thigh.pdf

2. Ryan White CARE Act: Program Changes Affecting Minority AIDS Initiative and Part D Grantees, by Marcia Crosse, director, health care, before the Subcommittee on Health, House Committee on Energy and Commerce. GAO-09-1027T, September 9.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-1027T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d091027thigh.pdf

3. Recovery Act: States' and Localities' Current and Planned Uses of Funds While Facing Fiscal Stresses, by J. Christopher Mihm, managing director, strategic issues, before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-09-908T, September 10.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-908T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09908thigh.pdf

France to Levy CO2 Tax

The Wall Street Journal reports that France will start taxing the carbon dioxide emissions of both households and companies starting next year. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Thursday that his government will levy a tax of €17 ($24.81) for each ton of CO2 emitted by fossil fuels such as heating oil, gasoline, coal, and natural gas.

The article reports that the French government "has pledged to divide its CO2 emissions by four in 2050 from the level of 1990." The government wants to show that it is following through on its environmental promises prior to a United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen in December.

President Sarkozy said households will be levied 17 euros per ton of CO2 emissions because he did not believe they would be willing to pay significantly higher taxes on CO2 emissions than industrial corporations, which trade CO2 emissions certificates at about 15 euros via the EU's emission trading system.

For more resources on climate change data and greenhouse-gas policies, see our guide.

Iran May Have Fuel to Build Nuclear Bomb

American intelligence sources say Iran has enough nuclear fuel to create enriched uranium needed for a nuclear weapon, the American ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency claimed on Wednesday. In his statement to the IAEA Board of Governors meeting, Ambassador Glyn Davies claimed that Iran is moving "closer to a dangerous and destabilizing possible breakout capacity" in its uranium enrichment activity.

Read what the media has to say about the issue in the New York Times. For more in-depth resources on Iran from the IAEA, check out this "In Focus" web page or this nuclear power profile of Iran.

Want more resources? Check out our guide to energy and alternative fuels or our country guide to Iran.

SEC and Madoff: Full Report Now Available

Last Thursday we blogged about the the SEC Office of Inspector General's report on Bernard Madoff (and the SEC's failure to adequately investigate his fraudulent investment company). At the time you could only find the report's executive summary on the SEC's website. The full 477-page report, "Investigation of Failure of the SEC to Uncover Bernard Madoff's Ponzi Scheme," is now available here.

We welcome your questions and comments about available resources on this issue.