SC 104 Week 5: Crimes of the record:constructing criminal statistics Official ways of recording crime Key sources of knowledge Reliability and limitations Alternative ways of measuring crime

What do we want to know? How much crime is being committed? What crimes are being committed? Is crime on the increase? How many criminals? How many victims?

. . . it is not just a question of how close official statistics are to ‘real’ amounts of crime; it is also a question of what processes are involved in the construction of such figures and ultimately, what is meant by crime anyway (Tierney, 1996:25)

Crime statistics Official figures British Crime Survey Local crime surveys

Why are crime statistics useful? Act as a ‘barometer’ Basis for planning and spending Historical record Research and comparative studies

What do they exclude? Some less serious offences Data from: British Transport Police; Ministry of Defence Police; UK Atomic Energy Police Tax and benefit fraud know to Inland Revenue, Customs & Excise.

How does an event become a statistic? Recognition by victim or witness Reported to police Recognised by police (interpretation, interaction, discretion) How police record crime

. . . statistical products of this kind may reveal more about the changing attitudes and decision making of those involved in the process than about changes in offending behaviour itself. (Bottomley & Pease, 1986)

Difficulties & problems with criminal statistics Police as gatekeepers The cop culture Other factors that shape police practice Changes in reporting practice Changes in the law

The dark figure of crime Undiscovered crime Unreported crime Unrecorded crime

British Crime Survey 1 National household survey Established in 1982 Conducted by the Home Office General population over 16 years of age

British Crime Survey 2 More victim orientated Identifies those at risk Highlights attitudes to crime Highlights attitudes to the CJS including the police and court systems

British Crime Survey 3 Doesn’t cover: Crimes against businesses Crimes without victims Crimes against children Crimes that have led to death

British Crime Survey 4 These surveys have shown the extent to which crimes such as sexual crime, hate crime, domestic crimes have gone unreported.

Local Victim Surveys Islington Crime Survey Snapshot of local crime and victimisation Voices the experiences of local people Some interesting and contrasting results when compared to BCS

Problems with crime statistics 1 In the broadest sense official statistics are produced by the administrative and controlling elements of society within exploitative class relations (Miles & Irving 1981)

Class conflict theorists Class based nature of the CJS Numbers manipulated to suit the powerful Working class over represented Black and poor over represented

Problems with crime statistics 2 Victims too frightened and too embarrassed about crime Victims too ashamed to admit being a victim Unaware of being a victim

Some positive aspects of crime statistics An antidote to stereotypes Identifies crime mix Raises awareness of crimes Highlights different roles of police Rates of cautioning within & between forces Links crime, clear up rate and prevention May show disparities in sentencing