OFFICIAL CRIME STATISTICS Flashcards
Why might official crime statistics show the real rate of crime
Crime may not be reported to the police
The police do not record all crime
What are British crime surveys and what do they show
Crime that is committed against people, they show that nearly a quarter of crime goes unrecorded
Give theee different sociological perspectives on crime statistics
Positivists (functionalists) believe that official statistics show a realistic picture of crime
Interpretivists believe crime statistics are socially constructed are based on the values of the criminal justice system
Marxists would agree claiming that they reflect the unequal nature of capitalist society
State four sources of crime statistics
Police recorded crime
Victim surveys
Self report studies
Court and prison records
