The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) is the FBI’s system for collecting detailed data on each crime incident reported by participating law enforcement agencies. Among other details, it records the type of location where each offense occurred, including parking lots, drop lots and garages.
NIBRS became the FBI’s national standard for crime data in 2021, replacing the older Summary Reporting System, which counted fewer offense types and recorded less detail. Because NIBRS captures location, offense, time and other factors for each incident, it lets security planners see how often specific crimes occur in parking facilities.
Using NIBRS in parking security planning
- Compare crime in parking locations with other location types in the same jurisdiction.
- Identify the offenses most common in parking, such as vehicle break-ins and theft, and design for them.
- Combine NIBRS data with local police calls for service and the facility’s own incident logs for site-level detail.
- Remember that participation and reporting vary by agency, so gaps in the data are not proof of safety.
The Parkonomics view
NIBRS shows where and what kind of crime occurs. Good parking security design, including lighting, sightlines and CPTED, answers that data with the right measures.
Related terms: CPTED, Illuminance, Enclosed Parking Garage, Parking Design