Data on DNA database size

This dataset contains information on the number of DNA profiles uploaded by the states to the FBI National DNA Index System (NDIS). The FBI periodically updates these numbers on its website, but does not release the historical data. I have saved the data from the past several years as best I could. To my knowledge this is the only place these data are available.

If you use this dataset, please cite the two papers I originally collected these data for:

Doleac, Jennifer L. (2017.) “The Effects of DNA Databases on Crime.” American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 9(1): 165-201.

Doleac, Jennifer L. (2016.) “How do state crime policies affect other states? The externalities of state DNA database laws.” Working paper.

Historical NDIS data as of April 2018: NDIS statistics (.csv file)

Graphs based on these data

Some notes: This is a panel dataset containing the number of DNA profiles in the NDIS (by state and type of profile) for most months between December 2009 and the present. The numbers online were not updated every month, so some months are missing. In addition, some states are missing data for September and October 2016 due to a technical glitch (the FBI webpage was reformatted and I did not capture all of the data). Variables: state, month, year, type (Offender Profiles, Arrestee Profiles, Forensic Profiles, NDIS Participating Labs, Investigations Aided), total.