1.5 - Statistics and Patterns of Crime

• What is police recorded crime?


  • official statistics based on CSEW
  • It includes crime against businesses an non residents such as tourists and visitors
  • Does not include crime that are not reported to police
  • Excludes crimes against businesses and those not resident in households
• What is the social construction of crime?


  • several offences commited at the same time might be rolled up into a single offence and individual police forces have the power of discretion
  • validity questioned - 19% of crimes reported are not recorded. These 'hidden crimes' are unreported crime as 60% do not report crime
• What are the reasons for unreported crime?


  • It was too trivial, involved no loss and police would not have been interested
  • It was too inconvenient to report
  • It was a private matter which they dealt with themselves
• What are the reasons for unrecorded crime?


  • May regard the matter as too trivial and waste of time
  • Always been satisfactory resolved
  • Person is too unreliable (drunk, tramp)
  • May interpret the law in such a way that no recording is necessary
• Why is there an increase in reported crimes?


  • The media - 85% of crimes are reported on media
  • Changing police attitudes and priorities - prosecute offences like speeding, drinking and knife crime
  • People may be reporting less serious incidents as compared to the past
  • Changing social norms and public attitudes
  • Easier communication to report crime (phones)
• What are victim surveys?


  • ask the public whether they have been victims of crime or whether they reported to the police. Provide insight into the victims of crime
• What are the limitations of victim surveys?


  • People may exaggerate or lie; desire to impress
  • People forget they were victims of crime; may have supressed a traumatic event
  • Often do not include all crimes (Fraud)
  • Issues with whether it is representative
  • Victims may feel embarrassment to report (assault, rape)
• What are self report studies?


  • are surveys that ask people to 'own up' to their offending and tell researchers what offences they have committed
• What are the limitations of self report studies?


  • Validity - the accuracy and truthfulness of responses; may not want to admit
  • Ignore respondents own definitions of crime; the norm in some subcultures
  • Rely on memory - criminals may have repressed or forget their crimes
  • Lack of representativeness - those who live reckless, chaotic lifestlyes
• What are the theoretical approaches to crime stats?


  • Functionalism, NR, Right Realism - accept stats as accurate and representative
  • Interactionism/labelling theory - stats are social constructions and useful to only reveal the stereotypes and assumptions of public
  • Marxism/Neo marxism - stats under represent crimes of the powerful
  • Feminism - stats under represent the extent of female crime and crimes against women
  • Left realism - stats are broadly correct but they under represent white collar and corporate crime and exaggerate extent of working class crimes