1. Evaluation of the pilots for the EU Victimisation Survey Module
John van Kesteren- Luxembourg, 4-5 June, EU TaskForce on Vicitmisation Survey Module

2. Stages in the pilot studies
Translation
Cognitive testing
Pilot methodology
Fieldwork planned
Fieldwork completed

3. Stages in the pilot studies
Translation All (-1) ms
Cognitive testing ms
Pilot methodology (-1) ms
Fieldwork planned ms
Fieldwork completed ms

4. Outline of this presentation
Structural aspects of the questionnaire
Concepts
Survey methodology
Fieldwork
Not everything from the reports will be mentioned here, only those things relevant for other countries

5. Structural aspects of questionnaire
Customisation
Length/duration
General structure
Routing
Overlap and repetition
Time references
Questions and response categories

6. Customisation
There is limited possibility to include country specific issues
The questionnaire however is to be standardised for the vast majority of the items
Not
Adjusting crime definitions to national legislation
Using a module on personal and household information that is ‘standard’ for a country, but not standardised at the European level

7. Structural aspects of questionnaire
Length/duration: Questionnaire takes too long, D & G section (G section takes 40-50% of the time)
Recommendations: Shorter, in particular D&G section

8. Structural aspects of questionnaire
General structure: not many comments
Recommendations: few remarks to deal with

9. Structural aspects of questionnaire
Routing: complicated
Recommendations: Simplify, specially the D&G sections

10. Structural aspects of questionnaire
Overlap and repetition: there is some overlap between D en G section, overlap within G section
Recommendations: Avoid

11. Structural aspects of questionnaire
Inconsistent time references:
Time references: 5 years + last year, but also last 12 months, last year, since age of 15. Last crime, most serious incident.
Recommendations, 5 year screener + ‘last year’ details over 5 years

12. Concepts & structure Family versus Household
Ownership, number of household members. What is the time frame for these. Now, at time of victimisation, last 5 years?
Car for personal use not clear
Some crimes apply to individual, other to whole household. Can that be done in a single survey? (Germany)

13. Concepts & structure A section
Town, city, city centre, village, suburb, these are not universal concepts in Europe
Use universal concepts
Some countries replaced response categories for country specific categories (as in education),
Use simple universal categories.

14. Concepts & structure D section
A universal module, but contains questions valid for some crimes only.
Why not specific modules for each crime
Very detailed and takes a lot of time
Simplify: only ask for international comparison
E section
New types of victimisation, phishing, identity theft, Internet based fraud are overlapping concepts. Redraft

15. Concepts & structure G section: Takes 40-50% of total time
Answering is tedious, because there is overlap and repetition
Difficult to remember details from age 15
Shorter, less overlap, 5 year + last year

16. Methodology
Sampling
Optimal procedure for country and mode of interviewing
Population registry (Some ms stratified by geographical region some also by age)
Random dialing, land lines & cell phones
overlapping samples, how to cope with that?
Mix of methods, depending of possibilities and mode of interviewing

17. Methodology Modes of interviewing CATI
CAPI (often in combi with G section by respondent self)
Web
Paper & Pencil
Multi-mode
When overlapping samples, how to cope?

18. Pilot study
One country completed the pilot To early to say anything

19. Concluding A lot of work has been done BUT
Questionnaire should be shortened and simplified
Internet based crimes need redrafting
Methodology should be somehow harmonised
Innovation: how to deal with overlapping samples