attrition

• the number of stages by which things become defined as criminal
• crime must be known. victims may not be aware of the offence, there may be no clear victims
• only a proportion of crimes will be reported to the police, victims may consider crime too trivial, feel police won't do anything, police won't believe them, police too busy, too embarrassing, fear, private matter
• why wouldn't crime be recorded?

  • police may not accept the account given to them
  • evidence may be insufficient to prove a crime has taken place
  • victim may refuse to press charges
  • police may judge the matter to have already been dealt with properly