Reliability in NIBRS Reporting of Substance Use in Incidents of Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract

This article examines the reliability and validity of National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) data pertaining to substance use in incidents of intimate partner violence. The study sample included 2,441 incidents of intimate partner violence involving intimidation, simple assault, and aggravated assault submitted to the FBI from 25 agencies across four states. We compared variables from the NIBRS federal data source with those gathered independently from the originating local police agency reports. Our independent data collection effort found more substance use in incidents of domestic violence than the NIBRS data reported. Reasons for this variation were examined and an assessment was made of how reliability in substance use reporting may be related to arrest outcomes. A weaker association between substance use and arrest was found in agencies judged to be highly reliable in reporting substance use than in agencies with low reporting reliability. The policy implications of the findings are discussed.