Analysis of the ABA / CEELI
War Crime Documentation Database Release 1.0

Analysis of the ABA CEELI WCDP Release 1.0 Database

 

Relaese 1.0 is a database application created in Microsoft Access 2000.  It is used to store information gathered from interviews with refugees and war crime witnesses and victims in the aftermath of the Kosovo conflict in 1999.  At the time of release, the database contained records of 1086 interviews who described 3366 Incidents.

 

The database contains three main tables and several smaller data source tables.

 

 

This report details the tables used in the ABA/CEELI WCDP Final Release 1.0 Database.  The tables are:

Addresses

Master_Identities

Master_Incidents

Municipalities

Villages

 

Tables:

 

Addresses:

 

The addresses table is the data source for the application.  It is the table used by groups cooperating with ABA / CEELI collecting data in the aftermath of the Kosovo conflict.  This table is not normalized.  It is designes to collect information about the interview subject, and five incidents. Information about each of the five incidents is stored in fice identical sets of fields.  Each set of fields uses a similar naming scheme.  Because all of the data is contained within one table, there are significant constraints on the ability for complex searched of the data, and for entering information about more than five incidents.

 

Identities:

 

The identities table pulls subject identification data out of the Addresses table so that there is one record for each interview subject. 

 

Master_Incidents

 

The Master Incidents table pulls information out of the Addresses table so that there is one record for each incident reported in the Addresses table.  The incidents are linked to records in the identity table via the Record ID in the identities table.

 

Municipalities

 

Is a list of all municipalities in Kosovo.  This table is used to populates list boxes on data entry forms.  Having a list of the municipalities enables consistent spelling of municipality names.

 

Villages

This table works the same way as the Municipalities table but with village names.

 

 

Moving data from the Addresses table into the Identities and Incidents table:

 

In order to make the collected data more searchable, the data contained in the Addresses table is split out into the Identities and Incidents tables. The incidents table contains information a date, type, location, perpetrator, and a description of each incident.  Information about documentation, future plans, and corroboration is not contained in the incidents table.  There is likely information in these areas that can be extracted from the addresses table with additional analysis.

 

A detailed analysis of the fields and functions of each table follows.

 

Analysis of table fields and functions:

 

Table: Addresses

  Properties

  Date Created:   8/25/99 9:57:21 PM  Last Updated:   8/25/99 10:01:34 PM

  OrderByOn:   True  Orientation:   0

  RecordCount:   1086  Updatable:   True

  Columns

            Name            Type            Size

            RecordID            Long Integer   4

          This is a unique identifier used to relate records in different tables

 

            AppendLog            Date/Time           8

          Logs the date records are appended to a central data table

 

            source            Text            50

          Used to identify the source of records that are appended to a central data table

 

            RefNo            Text            50

          Record number (not necessarily unique) assigned to a record by ABA data collectors

 

            Interviewer          Text            50

          Person conducting the interview

 

            Date_Rep            Date/Time           8

          Interview Date

 

            Location1            Text            50

          Location of interview

 

            LastName            Text            50

          Of interview subject

 

            FirstName           Text            50

          Of interview subject

 

            Father Name      Text            50

          Of interview subject

 

            Sex            Text            50

          Of interview subject

 

            Birthdate            Date/Time           8

          Of interview subject

 

            Place of Birth       Text            50

          Of interview subject – list box populated with town or village names

 

            Ethnicity            Text            50

          Of interview subject – list box populated with ethnicities involved in the conflict

 

            Occupation         Text            50

          Of interview subject – list box

 

            Adress (sic)       Text            50

          Primary - Of interview subject

 

            Adress2 (sic)  (this misspelling runs throughout the database)            Text            50

          2^nd line Of interview subject address

 

            Telephone           Text            50

          Of interview subject

 

            Notes            Memo            -

          From interviewer – this field is not used often in the data collection

 

            Circumst_1a         Memo            -

          Circumstances of subjects departure

 

            DirectWitn_1b      Memo            -

          Was the subject a direct witness to criminal incident during the departure?

 

            NamesofWit_1c    Memo            -

          Names of other witnesses to the incidents subject witnessed during departure.

 

            Route_1d            Memo            -

          Route take to exit Kosovo

 

            ActViol            Yes/No            1

          Check box indicating weather the first incident involved an act of violence

 

            Witness1            Yes/No            1

          Check box indicating weather the subject witnessed the act of violence described in incident 1

 

            Location            Text            50

          Of the first incident that the subject is describing

 

            Date1            Date/Time           8

          Date and time of the first incident

 

            Hours            Text            50

          Time of first incident (not used)

 

            What happened            Memo            -

          Text description of the first incident – this is the primary field where information is gathered

 

            Perpetrators         Text            50

 

            Description1         Memo            -

 

            ValidDoc            Yes/No            1

          Check box to in that the subject's passport was taken

 

            Missing            Text            50

 

            Whymissing         Text            50

          Why subjects passport is missing – list box – stolen, lost, etc.

 

            Specify            Text            50

          Additional info. About who took the passport

            When            Text            50

          When the passport became missing

 

            Where            Text            50

          Where the subject was separated from the passport

 

            Bywhom            Text            50

          If the passport was taken – who took it.

 

            Unable            Text            50

 

            Refusal            Text            50

 

            Noaccess            Text            50

 

            BornFRY            Yes/No            1

 

            BornOutside         Yes/No            1

 

D:\WCDP FINAL-Release 1.0.mdb  Thursday, February 10, 2000

Table: Addresses  Page: 2

            Where2            Text            50

 

            UnableReg           Yes/No            1

 

            Why            Text            50

 

            Corroboration      Memo            -

          Additional witnesses to the incidents the subject described

 

            ReturnKosovo       Yes/No            1

          Check box indicating if the subject intends to return to Kosovo

 

            Wherex1            Text            50

          Where in Kosovo?

 

            RemainMac          Yes/No            1

          Check box indicating if the subject intends to remain in Macedonia

 

            Wherex2            Text            50

          Where in Macedonia?

 

            GoAbroad3         Yes/No            1

          Check box indicating if the subject intends to go abroad

 

            Wherex3            Text            50

          Where abroad?

 

            Other            Text            50

          Other comments about subjects future plans.

 

            Comments           Memo            -

          Other information not listed in the incident reports or elsewhere.

 

            VictimorWitn         Text            50

          Was the subject a victim or witness of the crime described in incident 1?

 

            Kill            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 1st incident involved killing

 

            Tort            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 1st incident involved torture

 

            Force            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 1st incident involved forcible displacement

 

            Destruct            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 1st incident involved destruction of property

 

            Arrest            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 1st incident involved arrests

 

            Harrast (sic – misspelling pervasive throughout database)            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 1st incident involved Harrassment

 

            otherx            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 1st incident something not mentioned

 

            Sexual            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 1st incident involved sexual assault

 

            Municipal_incid      Text            50

          Municipality where 1^st incident took place – list box populated by municipality table

 

            Remain in Alb         Yes/No            1

          Check box indicating if subject intends to remain in Albania

 

            Where in Alb         Text            50

          If remaining in Albanina – where in Albania?

 

            Perpetrator2        Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is VJ / JNA

 

            Perpetrator3        Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is KLA

 

            Perpetrator4        Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is Other

 

            Perpetrator1        Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is Police

 

            ActViol2            Yes/No            1

          Check box indicating weather the 2nd incident involved an act of violence

 

            Witness2            Yes/No            1

          Check box indicating weather the subject witnessed the act of violence described in incident 2

 

            Location2            Text            50

          Of the 2nd incident that the subject is describing

 

            Municipal_incid2    Text            50

          Municipality where 2nd incident took place – list box populated by municipality table

 

            Date2            Date/Time           8

          Date and time of the 2nd incident

 

            Hours2            Text            50

          Time of 2nd incident (not used)

 

            VictimorWitn2        Text            50

          Was the subject a victim or witness of the crime described in incident 2?

 

            What happened2            Memo            -

          Text description of the 2nd incident – this is the primary field where information is gathered

 

                Perpetrator22       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is VJ / JNA

 

            Perpetrator23       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is KLA

 

            Perpetrator24       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is Other

 

            Perpetrator21       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is Police

 

            Kill2            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 2nd incident involved killing

 

            Tort2            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 2nd incident involved torture

 

            Force2            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 2nd incident involved forcible displacement

 

            Destruct2            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 2nd incident involved destruction of property

 

            Arrest2            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 2nd incident involved arrests

 

            Harrast2            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 2nd incident involved Harrassment

 

            otherx2            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 2nd incident something not mentioned

 

            Sexual2            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 2nd incident involved sexual assault

 

            ActViol3            Yes/No            1

          Check box indicating weather the 3rd incident involved an act of violence

 

            Witness3            Yes/No            1

          Check box indicating weather the subject witnessed the act of violence described in incident 3

 

            Location3            Text            50

          Of the 3rd incident that the subject is describing

 

            Municipal_incid3    Text            50

          Municipality where 3rd incident took place – list box populated by municipality table

 

            Date3            Date/Time           8

          Date and time of the 3rd incident

 

            Hours3            Text            50

          Time of 3rd incident (not used)

D:\WCDP FINAL-Release 1.0.mdb  Thursday, February 10, 2000

Table: Addresses  Page: 3

            VictimorWitn3        Text            50

          Was the subject a victim or witness of the crime described in incident 3?

 

            What happened3            Memo            -

          Text description of the 3rd incident – this is the primary field where information is gathered

 

                Perpetrator32       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is VJ / JNA

 

            Perpetrator33       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is KLA

 

            Perpetrator34       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is Other

 

            Perpetrator31       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is Police

 

            Kill3            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 3rd incident involved killing

 

            Tort3            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 3rd incident involved torture

 

            Force3            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 3rd incident involved forcible displacement

 

            Destruct3            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 3rd incident involved destruction of property

 

            Arrest3            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 3rd incident involved arrests

 

            Harrast3            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 3rd incident involved Harrassment

 

            otherx3            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 3rd incident something not mentioned

 

            Sexual3            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 1st incident involved sexual assault

 

            ActViol4            Yes/No            1

          Check box indicating weather the 4th incident involved an act of violence

 

            Witness4            Yes/No            1

          Check box indicating weather the subject witnessed the act of violence described in incident 4

 

            Location4            Text            50

          Of the 4th incident that the subject is describing

 

            Municipal_incid4    Text            50

          Municipality where 4th incident took place – list box populated by municipality table

 

            Date4            Date/Time           8

          Date and time of the 4th incident

 

            Hours4            Text            50

          Time of 4th incident (not used)

 

            VictimorWitn4        Text            50

          Was the subject a victim or witness of the crime described in incident 4?

 

            What happened4            Memo            -

          Text description of the 4th incident – this is the primary field where information is gathered

 

                Perpetrator42       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is VJ / JNA

 

            Perpetrator43       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is KLA

 

            Perpetrator44       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is Other

 

            Perpetrator41       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is Police

 

            Kill4            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 4th incident involved killing

 

            Tort4            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 4th incident involved torture

 

            Force4            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 4th incident involved forcible displacement

 

            Destruct4            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 4th incident involved destruction of property

 

            Arrest4            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 4th incident involved arrests

 

            Harrast4            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 4th incident involved Harrassment

 

            otherx4            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 4th incident something not mentioned

 

            Sexual4            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 4th incident involved sexual assault

 

            ActViol5            Yes/No            1

          Check box indicating weather the 5th incident involved an act of violence

 

            Witness5            Yes/No            1

          Check box indicating weather the subject witnessed the act of violence described in incident 5

 

            Location5            Text            50

          Of the 5th incident that the subject is describing

 

            Municipal_incid5    Text            50

          Municipality where 1^st incident took place – list box populated by municipality table

 

            Date5            Date/Time           8

          Date and time of the 5th incident

 

            Hours5            Text            50

          Time of 5th incident (not used)

 

            VictimorWitn5        Text            50

          Was the subject a victim or witness of the crime described in incident 5?

 

            What happened5            Memo            -

          Text description of the 5th incident – this is the primary field where information is gathered

 

                Perpetrator52       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is VJ / JNA

 

            Perpetrator53       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is KLA

 

            Perpetrator54       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is Other

 

            Perpetrator51       Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in fist incident is Police

 

            Kill5            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 5th incident involved killing

 

            Tort5            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 5th incident involved torture

 

            Force5            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 5th incident involved forcible displacement

 

            Destruct5            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 5th incident involved destruction of property

 

            Arrest5            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 5th incident involved arrests

 

            Harrast5            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 5th incident involved Harrassment

 

            otherx5            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 5th incident involved something not mentioned

 

            Sexual5            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the 5th incident involved sexual assault

D:\WCDP FINAL-Release 1.0.mdb  Thursday, February 10, 2000

Table: Addresses  Page: 4

                                                                        ValidDoc2            Yes/No            1

          Check box to in that the subject's ID Card was taken

 

            Missing2            Text            50

 

            Whymissing2        Text            50

          Why subjects ID Card is missing – list box – stolen, lost, etc.

 

            Specify2            Text            50

          Additional info. About who took the ID Card

            When            Text            50

          When the ID Card became missing

 

            Where            Text            50

          Where the subject was separated from the ID Card

 

            Bywhom            Text            50

          If the ID Card was taken – who took it.

 

            ValidDoc3            Yes/No            1

          Check box to in that the subject's birth certificate was taken

 

            Missing3            Text            50

 

            Whymissing3        Text            50

          Why subjects birth certificate is missing – list box – stolen, lost, etc.

 

            Specify3            Text            50

          Additional info. About who took the birth certificate

            When3            Text            50

          When the birth certificate became missing

 

            Where3            Text            50

          Where the subject was separated from the birth certificate

 

            Bywhom3            Text            50

          If the birth certificate was taken – who took it.

 

            ValidDoc4            Yes/No            1

          Check box to in that the subject's other documents are taken

 

            Missing4            Text            50

 

            Whymissing4        Text            50

          Why subjects other documents are missing – list box – stolen, lost, etc.

 

            Specify4            Text            50

          Additional info. About who took the other documents

            When            Text            50

          When the other documents became missing

 

            Where4            Text            50

          Where the subject was separated from the other documents

 

            Bywhom4            Text            50

                If the other documents were taken – who took it.    

 

Relationships

            AddressestblMasterIdentity

         Addresses tblMasterIdentity

                        RecordID                        1                        1                        RecordID

                        Attributes:                         Unique, Enforced

                        RelationshipType:                         One-To-One

            AddressestblMasterIncidents

         Addresses  tblMasterIncidents

                        RecordID                        RecordID

                        Attributes:                         Not Enforced

                        RelationshipType:                         One-To-Many

  Table Indexes

            Name            Number of Fields

            LastName            1

                        Fields:                        Ascending

            Municipal_incid      1

                        Fields:                        Ascending

            Municipal_incid1    1

                        Fields:                        Ascending

D:\WCDP FINAL-Release 1.0.mdb  Thursday, February 10, 2000

Table: Addresses  Page: 5

            Municipal_incid2    1

                        Fields:                        Ascending

            Municipal_incid3    1

                        Fields:                        Ascending

            Municipal_incid4    1

                        Fields:                        Ascending

            Number            1

                        Fields:                        Ascending

            PrimaryKey         1

                        Fields:                        Ascending

            RecordID            1

                        Fields:                        Ascending

D:\WCDP FINAL-Release 1.0.mdb  Thursday, February 10, 2000

Table: tblMasterIdentity  Page: 6

  Properties

  Date Created:   8/25/99 9:58:56 PM  Last Updated:   8/25/99 10:01:48 PM

  OrderByOn:   False  Orientation:   0

  RecordCount:   1086  Updatable:   True

  Columns

            Name            Type            Size

            AppendLog            Date/Time           8

          Logs the date records are appended to a central data table

 

            RecordID            Long Integer   4

          This is a unique identifier used to relate records in different tables

 

            RefNo            Text            50

          Record number (not necessarily unique) assigned to a record by ABA data collectors

 

            Interviewer          Text            50

          Person conducting the interview

 

            InterviewLocation  Text            50

          Location of Interview

 

            LastName            Text            50

          Of interview Subject

 

            FirstName           Text            50

          Of interview Subject

 

            Father Name      Text            50

          Of interview Subject

 

            Sex            Text            50

          Of interview Subject

 

            Birthdate            Date/Time           8

          Of interview Subject

 

            Place of Birth       Text            50

          Of interview Subject

 

            Ethnicity            Text            50

          Of interview Subject– list box populated with ethnicities involved in the conflict

 

            Occupation         Text            50

          Of interview subject – list box

 

            Adress (sic)       Text            50

          Primary - Of interview subject

 

            Adress2 (sic)  (this misspelling runs throughout the database)            Text            50

          2^nd line Of interview subject address

 

            Telephone           Text            50

                Of interview subject

  Relationships

            AddressestblMasterIdentity

         Addresses tblMasterIdentity

                        RecordID                        1                        1                        RecordID

                        Attributes:                         Unique, Enforced

                        RelationshipType:                         One-To-One

            tblMasterIdentitytblMasterIncidents

tblMasterIdentity  tblMasterIncidents

                        RecordID                        RecordID

                        Attributes:                         Not Enforced

                        RelationshipType:                         One-To-Many

  Table Indexes

            Name            Number of Fields

D:\WCDP FINAL-Release 1.0.mdb  Thursday, February 10, 2000

Table: tblMasterIdentity  Page: 7

            {1FF90612-5B19-11D3-98B6-00A024D76            1

                        Fields:                        Ascending

            PrimaryKey         1

                        Fields:                        Ascending

            RecordID            1

                        Fields:                        Ascending

D:\WCDP FINAL-Release 1.0.mdb  Thursday, February 10, 2000

Table: tblMasterIncidents  Page: 8

  Properties

  Date Created:   8/25/99 9:59:16 PM  Last Updated:   8/25/99 10:02:03 PM

  OrderByOn:   False  RecordCount:   2777

  Updatable:   True

  Columns

            Name            Type            Size

            RecordID            Long Integer   4

          This is a unique identifier used to relate records in different tables

 

            VictimorWitn         Text            50

          Was the subject a victim or witness of the crime incident described?

 

            Location            Text            50

          Of the incident that the subject is describing     

 

            Municipal_incid      Text            50

          Municipality where the incident took place – list box populated by municipality table

 

            Date1            Date/Time           8

          Date and time of the incident

 

                Perpetrator2        Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in the incident is VJ / JNA

 

            Perpetrator3        Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in the incident is KLA

 

            Perpetrator4        Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in the incident is Other

 

            Perpetrator1        Yes/No            1

          Perpetrator in the incident is Police

 

            Kill            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the incident involved killing

 

            Tort            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the incident involved torture

 

            Force            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the incident involved forcible displacement

 

            Destruct            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the incident involved destruction of property

 

            Arrest            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the incident involved arrests

 

            Harrast            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the incident involved Harrassment

 

            otherx            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the incident something not mentioned

 

            Sexual            Yes/No            1

          Check box used to indicate if the incident involved sexual assault

            What happened            Memo            -

                Text description of the incident – this is the primary field where information is gathered

  Relationships

            AddressestblMasterIncidents

         Addresses  tblMasterIncidents

                        RecordID                        RecordID

                        Attributes:                         Not Enforced

                        RelationshipType:                         One-To-Many

            tblMasterIdentitytblMasterIncidents

tblMasterIdentity  tblMasterIncidents

                        RecordID                        RecordID

                        Attributes:                         Not Enforced

                        RelationshipType:                         One-To-Many

  Table Indexes

D:\WCDP FINAL-Release 1.0.mdb  Thursday, February 10, 2000

Table: tblMasterIncidents  Page: 9

            Name            Number of Fields

            Municipal_incid      1

                        Fields:                        Ascending

            RecordID            1

                        Fields:                        Ascending

D:\WCDP FINAL-Release 1.0.mdb  Thursday, February 10, 2000

Table: tblMunicipalities  Page: 10

  Properties

  Date Created:   8/23/99 5:40:22 PM  Last Updated:   8/24/99 5:12:02 PM

  OrderByOn:   False  Orientation:   0

  RecordCount:   24  Updatable:   True

  Columns

            Name            Type            Size

         

            Municipalities        Text            50

          A list of municipalities – used to populate list boxes throughout the database

                       
D:\WCDP FINAL-Release 1.0.mdb  Thursday, February 10, 2000

Table: tblVillages  Page: 11

  Properties

  Date Created:   8/24/99 5:01:49 PM  Last Updated:   8/24/99 11:04:52 PM

  OrderBy:   tblVillages.Villages  OrderByOn:   True

  Orientation:   0  RecordCount:   218

  Updatable:   True

  Columns

            Name            Type            Size

            Villages            Text            50

                A list of villages used to populate list boxes throughout the database.