crime statistics

Question 1

reasons for crime numbers changing? 9 items

Answer 1

1. police recording more (to seem efficient)
2. better policing
3. new crimes reported/recorded
4. more laws to break
5. more state intervention- political promise to erradicate
6. more victims
7. less willingness to ignore it (personal media, reports go up)
8. population increase and density
9. victims confident in pursuing reporting

Question 2

Official Crime Rate (OCR) (what does it include+ what are the drawbacks?)

Answer 2

• police-recorded crime
• court and prison records

drawbacks: the true levels of crime are at least 2x more than this according to CSEW, police do not always get told or report, many cases don’t make it to court etc

Question 3

British Crime Survey (BCS) also known as CSEW- Crime survey of England and Wales
(what is included?)

Answer 3

• victim surveys- speaks to people to get statistics and includes crime NOT reported to police!!!
• self report surveys- completed by prisoners in custody

Question 4

The police as a ‘filter’ what do they record?

Answer 4

they only record SOME crime that is reported to them based off of:
- the seriousness
- classification
- police discretion
- promotions and relations at work
- social status of the victim