Measuring crime

• What’s are Official Statistics?

  Official Statistics are those which are collected by government agencies and usually published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS)
• What is the official crime rate?

  The Official Crime Rate is the statistics that are complied using police, court and prison records.
• What is the British crime survey?

  The British Crime Survey are the statistics which ware complied through victim surveys and self report survey’s. 50,000 people over the age of 16 are asked annually if they have been a victim or crime.
• What are the trends in crime from 1930-1950?

  Gradual Rise In Crime – end of the war, returning soldiers feeling frustrated. Rise in standard of living. Leading to relative deprivation.
• What are the trends in crime from 1950-1980?

  Steeper Rise In Crime – Time of economic growth and social anomie with changes in the role of women and wider society.
• What are the trends in crime from 1980 – Mid 1990?

  Rapid increase – Time of economic recession which led to higher relative deprivation and unemployment.
• What are the trends in crime from Mid 1990 - 2016 ?

  Gradual annual decline –

  Could be due to changes in the reporting, New types of crime which are not included. E.g. Cyber crime
• What does Police Recorded Crime mean? 

  These are the statistics compiled based on the reports filed by the police. These are crimes which are investigated by the police. They may not end in a conviction or court case.
• What’s some evaluations of Police Recorded Crime?

  Not all crimes that are reported to the police are recorded by the police.
• What does victim survey mean? 

  Part of the British Crime Survey, 50,000 people are asked if they were a victim of crime in the past12 months.
• What’s some evaluations of victim survey?

  People don’t always know they are victims of crime.

  May record crimes as something different to the police.

  Relies on memory.
• What does court records mean? 

  Compiled using the court records of which cases are taken to prosecution. They include information about the defendants, victims and types of crime as well as the results of case (Guilty or Not Guilty)
• What’s some evaluations of court records?

  Only records crimes that are taken to court. Crimes can be reported and not taken to court for various reasons such as lack of evidence or a pre-trial deal.
• What does prison records mean? 

  Looks at the composition of the prison system including: Ethnic makeup, gender, age and class.

  Also looks at length of sentence and recidivism rates.
• What’s some evaluations of prison records ?

  Not all crimes are punished with a custodial sentence. Middle class criminals are more likely to get a fine or suspended sentence. This can lead to court records being biased towards the working class.
• What does self report survey mean? 

  Self report surveys ask people if they have committed a crime in the last 12 months. These are conducted along side victim surveys annually. Around 50,000 people over 16 are asked.
• What’s some evaluations of self report survey ?

  People may not know if they have committed a crime as some crimes are not seen as real crime(e.g. Speeding), also relies on memory and truthfulness.
• Reasons for unreported crime?

  Embarrassment 

  Fear

  Don’t know they are a victim of crime.

  Deal with it themselves

  Distrust the police
• Reasons for unrecorded crime

  Not all crimes are entered into official figures

  Police Priorities/targeting

  Status of the victim 

  Work Relations
• What’s the Functionalism / New Right / Right Realism view of crime statistics?

  Functionalists accept official statistics at face value as they see them as reliable and valid sources of data.
• What’s the Interactionism / Labelling Theory view of crime statistics?

  See statistics as a social construction and only useful for identifying stereotypes and assumptions.
• What’s the Marxism / Neo- Marxism view of crime statistics?

  Statistics show a biased view of crime as they are constructed by the ruling class. They also ignore white collar and corporate crime which therefore suggest criminals are working class.
• What’s the Feminism view of crime statistics?

  Statistics under-represent the extent of female crime and crimes against women such as domestic violence and rape.
• What’s the Left Realism view of crime statistics?

  Statistics are broadly correct but they under represent white collar and corporate crime and exaggerate working class crime particularly those by ethnic minorities.