Req 3a — Researching Crimes

This is your chance to be an investigator. You’ll dig into real news stories about three different crimes, then research the bigger picture — how common are these types of crime where you live?

Getting Permission First

Before you start this research, you need two approvals:

1. Your parent or guardian’s permission — Some crime stories involve disturbing details. Talk to your parent or guardian about what you’ll be researching and get their okay.
2. Your counselor’s approval — Your counselor may guide you toward age-appropriate sources or specific types of crimes to research.

This isn’t a hoop to jump through — it’s a genuine safety measure. Crime news can be heavy, and it’s important to have trusted adults who know what you’re looking at and can help you process it.

Choosing Three Crimes

You need three crimes of different types. Refer back to the categories you learned in Requirement 1:

• Property crime (burglary, theft, arson, vandalism)
• Crime against a person (assault, robbery)
• White collar crime (fraud, embezzlement, identity theft)
• Environmental crime (illegal dumping, poaching, pollution violations)

Where to Find Reliable News Coverage

Not all news sources are equally reliable. For this research, stick to credible outlets:

Local news:

• Your city or regional newspaper’s website
• Local TV station news websites (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox affiliates)
• Your local public radio station’s website

State and national news:

• Major newspapers (The New York Times, The Washington Post, your state’s largest paper)
• Wire services (Associated Press, Reuters)
• Public broadcasting (NPR, PBS)

Crime-specific data sources:

• FBI Crime Data Explorer (cde.ucr.cjis.gov)
• Bureau of Justice Statistics (bjs.ojp.gov)
• Your state’s crime statistics agency (search for “[your state] crime statistics”)

Researching How Common These Crimes Are

After finding your three news stories, the second part of this requirement asks you to zoom out. How common are these types of crimes in your state or nationally?

Here’s how to find this data:

FBI Crime Data Explorer

The FBI’s Crime Data Explorer lets you search crime statistics by state, type of crime, and year. You can see trends over time — is burglary going up or down in your state? How does your state compare to the national average?

Bureau of Justice Statistics

The Bureau of Justice Statistics publishes detailed reports on crime victimization, including crimes that aren’t reported to police. Their National Crime Victimization Survey is one of the best tools for understanding how common crime really is.

State Resources

Most states publish their own crime reports through a state bureau of investigation or department of public safety. Search for “[your state] uniform crime report” to find annual statistics.