How is a baseless report defined?

• A. False reports
• B. Recantations
• C. Those that do not meet the elements or were improperly coded as a sexual assault
• D. Baseless reports are those that do not meet the elements of the offense, or were improperly coded as a sexual assault

Answer: (D)

Baseless reports are defined by two concrete criteria: they do not meet the elements of the offense, or they were improperly coded as a sexual assault. This definition is precise because it links the term directly to how a report should be evaluated and recorded—either it fails to satisfy the legal elements, or it is misclassified in the system. That clarity helps investigators and records staff avoid mislabeling cases and ensures resources go to actual matches of the offense. The other options are less precise: simply calling something a false report is broader and can imply intent or deception, which baseless specifically does not require; a recantation is about a change in a victim’s statement and not about whether the report meets elements or proper coding; and the variant that describes the concept without naming baseless reports is less explicit in defining the term itself.