NICAR offers a number of federal government databases. Here is a list of our growing collection: NEW National Endowment for the Arts, 1987-1996, includes information on individual or organization receiving money. NEW Immigration and Naturalization Service legal residency, 1980-1995, includes information on the characteristics of aliens who were admitted as immigrants. NEW National Highway Traffic Safety Administration vehicle recalls and complaints, 1966-1997, includes information about vehicles that have been recalled by certain manufacturers. U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Medical Devices Reports, detailing complaints about drugs, pacemakers and other medical products. 1974-1996. U.S. Centers For Disease Control's AIDS database, providing case-by-case demographic information about those with the HIV virus. 1995. U.S. Census Bureau's Consolidated Federal Funds Reports, showing which communities get how much under various federal programs. 1983-1995. Federal Aviation Administration's accidents and incidents, including major plane crashes since 1974. NASA's air safety reporting system, including anonymous complaints by pilots and air traffic controllers. Useful for finding near misses and problems at local airports, 1988-1996. Federal Election Commission campaign contributions by individuals and political action committees, 1990-1997. The Health Care Financing Administion's 1995 database of all Medicare-funded inpatient work in U.S. hospitals. Federal Railroad Administration data for accidents, casualties, and highway crossings, 1991-1996. Coast Guard boating accidents, 1969-1994. Federal Aviation Administration data, including airplane maintenance work documented in the service difficulty report, pilot licenses and grades, and aircraft registration, 1974-1997. Home Mortgage Disclosure Act records, for tracking who gets loans and who gets turned down, and finding redlining patterns, 1992-1995. Federal procurement data, 1992-1996, includes breakdowns by agency. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms gun dealer records. 1993-1996. National Bridge Inventory System data, includes inspection grades, 1994-1995. FBI Uniform Crime Reports, a detailed compilation of crime data that includes statistical breakdowns of individual murders. This includes the 1995 final report. Social Security death records, by name and social security number, going back to 1937. Occupational Safety and Health Administration violation data includes worker accidents and exposures to hazardous chemicals by companies, 1974-1996. U.S. Department of Transportation truck accident and census data. It includes accidents by company and road. U.S. Small Business Administration loan guarantees, 1980-1997. This includes the name of the business, address, amount covered by the SBA, and status, including whether the loan went bad. U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loan guarantees, 1989-1995. This includes individuals and businesses, the amount covered by the SBA, and the status, including whether the loan went bad. U.S. Small Business Administration's list of minority companies certified for SBA assistance in seeking federal contracts. It includes the name of the company, its address, the owner, type of business and phone number. The National Inventory of Dams, 1991-1995. U.S. Department of Transportation hazardous materials accidents database, a collection of roadway, rail, air and waterway accidents from 1971 to 1996. U.S. Department of Transportation fatal accident reporting system. It includes all roadway accidents from 1975 to 1995. U.S. Coast Guard directory of U.S. merchant vessels. It includes the name of the ship, the managing owner, home port and various descriptive information. For up-to-date prices and more information, call (573) 882-0684, or send e-mail to info@nicar.org
The IRE Resource Center has copies of hundreds of stories that have used the databases listed here. If you are interested in seeing how reporters have used these databases, call the center at (573) 882-3364.