1.2 - Reasons why certain crimes are not reported
Common Assault– Common assault is where people in the general public, who may or may not be
strangers engage in minor or sometimes even major physical conflict – this can often result in minor or
benign injuries on both sides.
Personal reasons for not reporting this type of crime would be due to disinterest. Those who are not
involved will have less chance of reporting the crime due to having no active involvement other than
watching the assault occur. Another reason being the crime doesn’t affect them. If the crime doesn’t
affect a bystander, there is less of a chance for them to report the crime as they would go about their
day.
A social reason for not reporting a crime would be lack of knowledge. This occurs when the non-
participant doesn’t understand why the crime is occurring and who is in the right or wrong – thus the
crime will not get reported.
Domestic abuse – This occurs when victims or even perpetrators believe that their actions are justified
due to their beliefs, neither side would tell the police of the crimes being committed.
Two personal reasons why domestic abuse does not get reported would be due to fear, victims or those
who are vulnerable may fear the repercussions that the perpetrators (family or spouse) may give if they
speak out about it to others or police. Another reason being that those who are aware of the crimes
occurring may not be affected so they won't tell authorities such as police. The lack of involvement may
make bystanders think as if it isn’t their duty or place to tell authorities especially when it comes to
something they were not involved in at all. where the crime happens in a family bubble, bystanders may
not be related to either.
Two social & cultural reasons for domestic violence not being reported would be the lack of knowledge
bystanders may have. As said before, bystanders may not be related to the victims or perpetrators so
there is an element of bystanders being outsiders which may make them feel as if they don’t know
enough to really say anything about the crimes occurring. Another reason being culture bound crime,
culture bound crimes don’t get reported by those who are aware because they may not share the same
culture or care enough about it to really tell the authorities. Perpetrators won't tell authorities as they
think that they are justified.
An example of this would be the Shafelia Ahmed case. The parents who had killed the young girl didn’t
report their crimes to the police due to them thinking that they were justified. The search for her was
carried out when her teacher got involved as they had overheard a conversation from Shafelia's siblings.
Vandalism – Vandalism is where public property is defaced or destroyed by someone or a group of
people, they may or may not have a reason to have done it.
Public reasons why this crime does not get reported is due to the lack of public concern. The public may
not care enough about a crime to report on it for reasons being lack of understanding, the crime not
affecting them, or they straight up may not care at all about the crime. A type of crime where this would
occur would be moral crime. An example of this would be homeless people begging. The issue is not
important enough to worry about so people wouldn’t report it.
Common Assault– Common assault is where people in the general public, who may or may not be
strangers engage in minor or sometimes even major physical conflict – this can often result in minor or
benign injuries on both sides.
Personal reasons for not reporting this type of crime would be due to disinterest. Those who are not
involved will have less chance of reporting the crime due to having no active involvement other than
watching the assault occur. Another reason being the crime doesn’t affect them. If the crime doesn’t
affect a bystander, there is less of a chance for them to report the crime as they would go about their
day.
A social reason for not reporting a crime would be lack of knowledge. This occurs when the non-
participant doesn’t understand why the crime is occurring and who is in the right or wrong – thus the
crime will not get reported.
Domestic abuse – This occurs when victims or even perpetrators believe that their actions are justified
due to their beliefs, neither side would tell the police of the crimes being committed.
Two personal reasons why domestic abuse does not get reported would be due to fear, victims or those
who are vulnerable may fear the repercussions that the perpetrators (family or spouse) may give if they
speak out about it to others or police. Another reason being that those who are aware of the crimes
occurring may not be affected so they won't tell authorities such as police. The lack of involvement may
make bystanders think as if it isn’t their duty or place to tell authorities especially when it comes to
something they were not involved in at all. where the crime happens in a family bubble, bystanders may
not be related to either.
Two social & cultural reasons for domestic violence not being reported would be the lack of knowledge
bystanders may have. As said before, bystanders may not be related to the victims or perpetrators so
there is an element of bystanders being outsiders which may make them feel as if they don’t know
enough to really say anything about the crimes occurring. Another reason being culture bound crime,
culture bound crimes don’t get reported by those who are aware because they may not share the same
culture or care enough about it to really tell the authorities. Perpetrators won't tell authorities as they
think that they are justified.
An example of this would be the Shafelia Ahmed case. The parents who had killed the young girl didn’t
report their crimes to the police due to them thinking that they were justified. The search for her was
carried out when her teacher got involved as they had overheard a conversation from Shafelia's siblings.
Vandalism – Vandalism is where public property is defaced or destroyed by someone or a group of
people, they may or may not have a reason to have done it.
Public reasons why this crime does not get reported is due to the lack of public concern. The public may
not care enough about a crime to report on it for reasons being lack of understanding, the crime not
affecting them, or they straight up may not care at all about the crime. A type of crime where this would
occur would be moral crime. An example of this would be homeless people begging. The issue is not
important enough to worry about so people wouldn’t report it.
