Defining And Measuring Crime

Question 1

Cultural issues in defining crime

Answer 1

Such as homosexuality

Question 2

Historical issues of defining crime

Answer 2

What is a crime changes over time so what is ‘criminal’ is historically specific

Question 3

What are official statistics

Answer 3

1. Published by home office annually
2. Number of crimes reported and recorded
3. Helpful in identifying areas to target for crime prevention

Question 4

What are victim surveys

Answer 4

1. Households randomly selected by office of national statistics
2. Record all crimes reported or not that someone had been victim to

Question 5

What are offender surveys

Answer 5

1. Target group of likely offenders
2. Self-report
3. Looks at presence of drugs/ alcohol and role of co-offenders

Question 6

A03 for official statistics

Answer 6

1. Significantly underestimate rates
2. Not all crimes reported to or recorded by police
3. 75% unreported (dark figure)
4. Nottinghamshire more likely record under £10 thefts than other areas. This explains a spike in crime
5. Suggests policing priority’s distort official figures

Question 7

A03 for victim surveys

Answer 7

1. More likely to include unreported crime so more accurate
2. 2006/7 official stats said 2% decrease while British crime survey said 3% increase
3. However, Victims open to lie and may have inaccurate recall

Question 8

Offender surveys ao3

Answer 8

1. Provide insight into circumstances of crime such as how many people
2. Although confidential, responses may be unreliable and also more serious crimes not reported
3. Targetd at ceritain types of crime and ignore white collar crime

Question 9

Political nature of crime

Answer 9

Party in power will downplay crime 
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In opposition will uplay crime 
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Although office for national statistics is meant to regulate... figures manipulated and raises Q in validity

Question 10

Multi disaplinary apprach

Answer 10

Best to look at all 3