Bureau of Justice Statistics (Department of Justice)

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), located within the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), mission is to collect, analyze, publish, and disseminate information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government. BJS collects data on courts, crime type, jails and inmates, prisons and prisoners, probation and parole, capital punishment, justice-related employment and expenditures, law enforcement, tribal areas, and victims. BJS also directs and supports the National Crime Statistics Exchange (NCS-X) and efforts to improve criminal justice data and records for states and localities. 

BJS allows eligible individuals the opportunity to apply for access through the Standard Application Process (SAP) Portal for restricted (confidential) data files housed at the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD). Eligible individuals interested in restricted data from the National Crime Victimization Survey and its supplemental surveys are also required to complete an application through the SAP. BJS will accept applications for restricted data to support projects with a demonstrated statistical or research purpose, including for evidence-building. All restricted-use data requestors must submit an application for approval. Prior to being approved to access BJS restricted data, users will be required to fulfill BJS’s data security requirements. These requirements include submitting Institutional Review Board (IRB) documentation of approval or exemption to comply with DOJ human subjects protections (28 C.F.R. Part 46), a data security plan, and a Privacy Certificate to comply with OJP’s confidentiality requirements (28 C.F.R. Part 22.23). Users will also be required to sign a confidentiality pledge and restricted use data agreement to affirm their understanding of and agreement to comply with BJS and NACJD’s data use, confidentiality, and privacy requirements. 

All BJS public-use files continue to be available at NACJD. BJS data tools, data tables, and statistical reports are available on the BJS website. 

For questions about the standard application process or questions about the data archived at the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD), email NACJD at NACJD@icpsr.umich.edu. For general information about Bureau of Justice Statistics products and programs, email BJS at  askbjs@usdoj.gov.