November 3, 2014

For decades, researchers and law enforcement practitioners have had an interest in understanding the links between cruelty to animals and violent, delinquent and criminal behavior. A national estimate of the incidence or prevalence of animal cruelty did not exist, nor were local studies aggregated or compared with statistical confidence…until now.

The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) will now collect data on state animal cruelty offenses. This is a watershed moment for the criminal justice community.

Using NIBRS, animal cruelty crimes will be reported as a Group A offense, which includes simple/gross neglect; intentional abuse and torture; organized abuse; and animal sexual abuse. Additionally, cruelty to animals will be defined as: intentionally, knowingly or recklessly taking an action that mistreats or kills any animal without just cause, such as torturing, tormenting, mutilation, maiming, poisoning or abandonment.

Also included in these Group A offenses are: failing to provide care (e.g., shelter, food, water, care if sick or injured); transporting or confining an animal in a manner likely to cause injury or death; causing an animal to fight with another; or inflicting excessive or repeated unnecessary pain or suffering (e.g., use an object to beat or injure an animal). This definition does not include proper maintenance of animals for show or sport or the use of animals for food, lawful hunting, fishing or trapping.

This data, which could be available as early as 2017, will provide concrete information where none previously existed. Researchers, law enforcement practitioners and other stakeholders in the criminal justice community will be able to:

• Analyze incidence and prevalence data about animal cruelty offenses to provide context to the field.
• Support further research on the connection between animal cruelty, interpersonal violence, delinquent and criminal behavior and other types of offending.
• Explore how national data could inform the development of legal theory, criminal investigations, charging decisions, prosecution tactics, risk-based offender management strategies, development of prevention programs and the provision of services to crime victims.
• Consider enhancing other data collection instruments to include factors related to animal cruelty. For example, data collection about adolescent experiences and outcomes, crime victimization and child welfare.
• Undertake national-level research in regards to animal cruelty as a form of crime itself.

Data offers clarity. The NIBRS animal cruelty data will give us a better understanding of the scope and nature of animal cruelty. This understanding will open new, valuable avenues of research on the links between animal cruelty and other crimes.

For more information about NIBRS visit http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/nibrs.