Applying NIBRS data to the study of intimate partner violence: Massachusetts as a case study

Using data from Massachusetts, we illustrate three ways in which National I ncident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) data can improve the collection of i mportant information on intimate partner violence. First, because NIBRS use s incident-based reporting, data are collected on all crimes associated wit h each incident. In our sample of women victimized by an intimate partner, 10% had experienced more than one crime during the incident. Second, NIBRS involves expanded data collection on the offender-victim relationship, as w ell as reporting about additional offenses. For female victims, partners we re more likely than nonpartners to commit the crimes of simple assault, int imidation, and aggravated assault. For crimes involving male victims, an aq uaintance was most likely to be the offender. Third, NIBRS data allow us to connect information about the incident, the offender(s), and the victim(s) . Our data indicted that several victim-, offender-, and incident-related v ariables were risk factors for injury, including victim's ethnicity, offend er's relationship to the victim, offender's use of a weapon, whether or not the case was cleared, type of crime committed, and whether or not drugs an d/or alcohol were involved in the incident. Although there are several limi tations to NIBRS data, its potential usefulness to the study of intimate pa rtner violence deserves further attention.