Report vs. Arrest vs. Charges: What Each Stage Means
The difference between an incident report, an arrest, a charge, and a conviction — and why each stage tells a different story about public safety.
Civic Informer·March 9, 2026
Read More →Analysis, announcements, and insights from the Civic Informer team.
The difference between an incident report, an arrest, a charge, and a conviction — and why each stage tells a different story about public safety.
What is in a police incident report? A plain-English guide to case numbers, offense codes, narratives, and what reported really means.
A plain-English guide to understanding crime data — rates vs. counts, per-capita adjustments, reporting bias, and the limitations of all crime statistics.