Measuring Crime

Question 1

What was the trend in crime between 1930 and 1950?`

Answer 1

Gradual rise in crime:
~ End of the war - returning soldiers feeling frustrated.
~ Rise in standard of living leading to relative deprivation.

Question 2

What was the trend in crime between 1950 and 1980?

Answer 2

Steeper rise in crime:

~ Time of economic growth and social anomie with changes in the role of women and wider society.

Question 3

What was the trend in crime between 1980 and mid 1990?

Answer 3

Rapid increase in crime:

~ Time of economic recession which led to higher relative deprivation and unemployment.

Question 4

What was the trend in crime between mid 1990 and 2016?

Answer 4

Gradual annual decline in crime:
~ Could be due to changes in the reporting.
~ New types of crime which aren’t included e.g. cybercrime.

Question 5

What are official statistics?

Answer 5

Data which is collected by government agencies and usually published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

Question 6

What is the official crime rate?

Answer 6

The statistics which are compiled using police, court and prison records.

Question 7

What is the british crime survey?

Answer 7

The statistics which are compiled through victim surveys and self report surveys. 50,000 people over the age of 16 are asked annually if they have been a victim of crime.

Question 8

What is an evaluation of police recorded crime?

Answer 8

• Not all crimes that are reported to the police are recorded by the police.

Question 9

What are some evaluations of victum surveys?

Answer 9

• People don’t always know they are victims of crime.
• May record crimes as something different to the police.
• Relies on memory.

Question 10

What is an evaluation of court records?

Answer 10

• Only records crimes that are taken to court. Crimes can be reported and not taken to court for various reasons (lack of evidence / pretrial deal).

Question 11

What are some evaluations of prison records?

Answer 11

• Not all crimes are punished with a custodial sentence.
• Middle class criminals are more likely to get a fine or suspended sentence. This can lead to court records being biased towards the working class.

Question 12

What are some evaluations of self report surveys?

Answer 12

• People may not know if they have committed a crime as some crimes aren’t seen as real crimes (e.g. speeding).
• Relies on memory and truthfulness.

Question 13

What are some reasons for unreported crimes?

Answer 13

• Embarrassment
• Fear
• Don’t know they’re a victim
• They deal with it themselves
• Distrust in the police

Question 14

What are some reasons for unrecorded crimes?

Answer 14

• Not all crimes are entered into official figures
• Police priorities / targeting
• Status of the victim
• Work relations

Question 15

What is the functionalist / new right / right realist view on crime statistics?

Answer 15

Accept official statistics at face value as they see them as reliable and valid sources of data.

Question 16

What is the interactionist / labelling theory view on crime statistics?

Answer 16

See statistics as a social construction and only useful for identifying stereotypes and assumptions.

Question 17

What is the marxist / neo marxist view on crime statistics?

Answer 17

Statistics show a biased view of crime as they’re constructed by the working class. They also ignore white collar and corporate crimes which therefore suggest all criminals are working class.

Question 18

What is the feminist view on crime statistics?

Answer 18

Statistics under-represent the extent of female crime and crimes against women such as domestic violence and rape.

Question 19

What is the left realist view on crime statistics?

Answer 19

Statistics are broadly correct but they under represent white collar and corporate crime and exaggerate working class crime (particularly those of ethnic minority).