MO Facts, Please.

Published in

CFR 2019

3 min readMar 6, 2019

To be information literate, a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information. — The American Library Association

We have immense information at our fingertips and the infinite amount of search results can be overwhelming. No wonder it’s so tempting to rely on our news feeds, trending stories, and local headlines.

In order to report today’s community problems, it is crucial for us to have high-quality information from valid sources. Becoming our own fact-checkers is equally essential.

With access to infinite information and the rise of unverified, misleading content online, how do you check its accuracy? While dozens of federal and state agency websites openly provide data, it’s often difficult to locate the actual information you’re looking for.

The following sources will help dig deeper. We’ve provided additional links that take you directly to information used in the Community Focus Report.

U.S. Census Bureau

The mission of the U.S. Census Bureau is to “serve as the leading source of quality data about the nation’s people and economy.” Data is gathered every 10 years and made publicly available on the bureau’s site. Between censuses, the American Community Survey gathers demographic and housing data. You can access this information through the bureau’s American FactFinder portal.

Explore key information points about Greene County

FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting Publications

The UCR Program includes four annual publications: “Crime in the United States,” “National Incident-Based Reporting System,” “Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted,” and “Hate Crime Statistics.” More than 18,000 city, university/college, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies voluntarily participate in the program to supply data for these publications.

Your first check should be with the Crime Data Explorer (CDE), which is considered the “digital front door” of the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting program. You can explore data from the Greene County Sheriff’s Office or the Springfield Police Department.

Missouri Economic Research & Information Center

On this site, you will find economic data compiled by the research division of the Missouri Department of Economic Development. You can also view information by region. Among the data available: average wages by county, cost of living data, unemployment rates, and employment projections.

Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services

This department compiles community data profiles and reports on alcohol and drug abuse, child health, chronic disease, emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and much more. The community-health data can be separated by county.

Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education

Use this information hub to find data related to college and career readiness, Missouri school districts, early childhood education, educators, and special education.

Explore key points about Springfield-Greene County Education

Pew Research Center

Established in 2004 as a nonpartisan “fact tank,” Pew Research Center, measures public opinion on an array of topics, including gun ownership, gay marriage, economic conditions, and technology. Along with the reports, the public has access to the data sets used to create them.