5. Statistics and Patterns of Crime - 1. Statistics and Patterns Of Crime Flashcards
Why can police recorded statistics be seen as a social construct?
Because they only show crimes that are reported and recorded by the police
According to the CSEW, what makes a person less likely to report a crime to the police?
If they regard the crime as:
-Too trivial
-A private matter where they want no harm to be done to the offender
-Too embarrassing
What two factors make people more likely to report crimes to the police?
The individual sees benefits in reporting the crime
The individual trusts the police’s ability
What research body researched police-recorded statistics?
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary
What did a report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in 2014 find about crimes reported to the police?
19% of crimes reported to the police were not included in OS
What is the ‘dark figure’ of crime?
The total number of unrecorded crimes
Example of a key difference between findings of CSEW and police recorded statistics
Number of violent crime in police recorded statistics has risen but has fallen in CSEW
What are the factors that contribute to the filtering of information by police.
Seriousness - is the act too trivial or even a criminal matter?
Classifying - police categorise crimes and this determines their seriousness
Social status - police may not view social status of person reporting crime as high enough to pursue
Discretion - chances of being arrested increase significantly depending upon appearance, attitudes and manner of individual
About 75% of individuals charges actually plea guilty. Why is this?
The defence try to get the lightest possible punishment put forward by prosecution
What role does the government and law enforcement agencies have on police-recorded stats?
What is considered to be a crime changes over time due to changes in laws.
The rise and fall of crime levels may reflect changes in laws, rather than actual changes in crime.
Changing social attitudes can also influence police behaviour
What do victims surveys involve?
Involve a sample of the population being asked which offences have been committed against them over a certain time period
2 strengths of victim surveys
Overcomes fact that significance proportion of offences are never recorded by the police
Gives good picture of extent of victimisation
3 weaknesses of victim surveys
Based on memories
Categorisation of crimes is left to the individual filling out survey, leading to significant inconsistencies
A range of crimes aren’t included in victim surveys
What patterns have victim surveys been able to find?
Patterns of victimisation - who is more likely to be a victim
What are self-report studies?
Surveys where a sample is asked what offences they have committed
