Defining and Measuring Crime
Offender surveys
Problems in defining crime
Involves individuals detailing the number and types of crime they have committed.
Laws aretend
These often
to subject and notofall
target groups actsoffenders
likely that breakbased
the law
on are
‘risk’punished.
factors such as previous convictions, age range,
What
socialcounts as a crime
background etc. varies from culture to culture as well as over time.
The Offender Crime and Justice Survey measured self-report offending but also looked at indicators of repeat
Cultural issues in defining crimes
offending, drug and alcohol use and the role of co-offenders.
In 2014, forced marriage was made illegal in the UK, yet this is still practised in some cultures.
+ Shows how many people are responsible for certain offences.
Historical issues in defining crime
+ Ethical issues – the offenders are kept confidential.
- Definitions of crime –change overmay
time.
May be unreliable offenders conceal the more serious crimes or may exaggerate their crimes to show off.
- Homosexuality was considered a crime in England until 1967; this shows that some crimes are both historically
Certain types of crime may be overrepresented.
- and
Theculturally
targetedspecific.
nature of the survey means that certain crimes (such as burglary) are overrepresented, whereas
‘middle-class’ offences such as corporate crime and fraud are unlikely to be included.
Ways of measuring crime
A multidisciplinary approach is normally undertaken which is a combination of all available methods to provide the best
insight into the true extent of offending.
Official statistics Victim surveys
Official statistics are government records of the Victim surveys record people’s experience of crime
total number of crimes reported to police and over a specific period.
recorded in the official figures. The Crime Survey for England and Wales collects
This allows the government to develop crime data from 50,000 households about the crimes they
prevention strategies and policing initiatives, as well have been a victim to in the past year.
as direct resources to those areas most in need.
+ Greater detail of accuracy than official stats because more
- Unreliable as they underestimate the true
details of crimes are included – 2006/07 official stats
extent of crime – only 25% of crimes are
suggested a 2% decrease in crime whereas the British Crime
included; the other 75% make up the ‘dark
Survey showed a 3% increase.
figure’ of crime.
- Policing priorities may distort the official - ‘Telescoping’ may occur – where a victim may
statistics – Farrington: Nottinghamshire police misremember an event happening in the past year
were more likely to record thefts of under £10 when it didn’t happen.
compared to other regions. - Ethical issues – the victim doesn’t want to ‘re-live’
- Lacks validity. the crime.
- Reductionist - they only count the number of - Some people may be unaware that they have been
criminal acts, rather than the number of a victim of crime (e.g. burglary of single items) –
criminals, so the overall picture might be lowers the validity?
misleading. - Victims are more likely to report trivial offences in
these surveys, things they wouldn’t go to the police
with, as they might think it a waste of time –
increases the validity?
Offender surveys
Problems in defining crime
Involves individuals detailing the number and types of crime they have committed.
Laws aretend
These often
to subject and notofall
target groups actsoffenders
likely that breakbased
the law
on are
‘risk’punished.
factors such as previous convictions, age range,
What
socialcounts as a crime
background etc. varies from culture to culture as well as over time.
The Offender Crime and Justice Survey measured self-report offending but also looked at indicators of repeat
Cultural issues in defining crimes
offending, drug and alcohol use and the role of co-offenders.
In 2014, forced marriage was made illegal in the UK, yet this is still practised in some cultures.
+ Shows how many people are responsible for certain offences.
Historical issues in defining crime
+ Ethical issues – the offenders are kept confidential.
- Definitions of crime –change overmay
time.
May be unreliable offenders conceal the more serious crimes or may exaggerate their crimes to show off.
- Homosexuality was considered a crime in England until 1967; this shows that some crimes are both historically
Certain types of crime may be overrepresented.
- and
Theculturally
targetedspecific.
nature of the survey means that certain crimes (such as burglary) are overrepresented, whereas
‘middle-class’ offences such as corporate crime and fraud are unlikely to be included.
Ways of measuring crime
A multidisciplinary approach is normally undertaken which is a combination of all available methods to provide the best
insight into the true extent of offending.
Official statistics Victim surveys
Official statistics are government records of the Victim surveys record people’s experience of crime
total number of crimes reported to police and over a specific period.
recorded in the official figures. The Crime Survey for England and Wales collects
This allows the government to develop crime data from 50,000 households about the crimes they
prevention strategies and policing initiatives, as well have been a victim to in the past year.
as direct resources to those areas most in need.
+ Greater detail of accuracy than official stats because more
- Unreliable as they underestimate the true
details of crimes are included – 2006/07 official stats
extent of crime – only 25% of crimes are
suggested a 2% decrease in crime whereas the British Crime
included; the other 75% make up the ‘dark
Survey showed a 3% increase.
figure’ of crime.
- Policing priorities may distort the official - ‘Telescoping’ may occur – where a victim may
statistics – Farrington: Nottinghamshire police misremember an event happening in the past year
were more likely to record thefts of under £10 when it didn’t happen.
compared to other regions. - Ethical issues – the victim doesn’t want to ‘re-live’
- Lacks validity. the crime.
- Reductionist - they only count the number of - Some people may be unaware that they have been
criminal acts, rather than the number of a victim of crime (e.g. burglary of single items) –
criminals, so the overall picture might be lowers the validity?
misleading. - Victims are more likely to report trivial offences in
these surveys, things they wouldn’t go to the police
with, as they might think it a waste of time –
increases the validity?
