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i 8 Memo te Mr. Talson With reference to the use o7 1950 population figures, ‘we do use this source as a vasis for the calculation of crime rates for groups of cities, either b- population groups or by geographical division or state. (page 92, latest UCR enclosed as an example) But, as indicated in previous memoranda, we do not calculate any such rates for individual cities. For eacn city we only show the number of offenses they report to us. fpage 102 of UCR enclosed as example) We must use the latest availaole, natioua!ly compiled populations figures to calculate average crime rates for groups of cities as above, and the only thing we have available are the 1950 figures. It would not be sound, for example, in calculating the crime rate for cities with oopulation from 100, 000 to 250, 000 as a group to use local Chamber of Commerce estimates of the population for each place in view of the lack of uniformity under which such estimates are made. This is explained adequately. | believe. in the first paragraph beginning on page 9] of the Uniform Crime Reports for last year, (enclosed). On that page we point out that the 1957 rates for the city groups are based on the 1950 population figures because no later data are avaiiable on a nation-wide basis. We go on in that particular section of the text to give a somewhat technical presentation of the problems involved in the calculation of rates based on various population figures to satisfy the suciologists and research students. Incidentally. we nave been in contact from time to time with the figures for the various reporting cities in the crime reporting program and for the |igures Bureau people and they have been unable to furnish us current population -—) - | rural areas separately. This population problem was the number one item on the agenda furnished the current Committee on Uniform Crime Reporting, headed by Dr. »PeteraP. Lejins of the Department of Sociology, University of Maryland. The current committee has completed their work and within the next week or ten days we will have a draft of their final report. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1 - That the attached letter go forward to Attorney General Edmund G. Brown, transmitting to him a copy of the Director's letter to Time magazine dated July 18, 1958, and a copy of the annual issue of the Uniform Crime Reports for last year pointing out to him that our figures do not show a 36% increase in California crime last year.