Why it Matters: Crime statistics are used by different groups for different things. On a political level, it provides a measure for the success or failure of certain criminal justice policies. On an operational level, it provides important information on how best to allocate municipal resources. From a civil society perspective, it provides indicators against which to measure criminal justice performance and therefore an important tool to hold accountability the various role-players in the criminal justice system (Institute for Security Studies). (n035)

Data Source: Data Source: Michigan State Police Incident Crime Reporting database (MICR)- The Michigan State Police provides access to these statistics and compiled reports for the purpose of studying the causes, trends and effects of crime in this state and for intelligence upon which to base programs of crime detection and prevention and the apprehension of criminals. Individuals using these statistics or reports are cautioned against making direct comparisons between cities or townships on the basis of population. Comparisons may lead to simplistic and/or incomplete analyses that could create misleading perceptions adversely affecting communities and their residents. The Michigan State Police is not responsible for any errors or omissions produced by secondary dissemination of this information. (n060)