1. Aspects of victim survey methodology: results from the inventory of victimisation surveys Jonathan Allen UK Home Office

2. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna2 Using information from the inventory of victimisation surveys, with reference to the UK experience To cover Interview mode Use of interviewers Sampling techniques Size of samples

3. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna3 Response to the inventory In total 33 countries 78 questionnaires Identify ‘currrent’ questionnaires – Survey runs continuously – Survey was conducted in 2004 / 2005 – Survey planned to run in the future 55 ‘current’ questionnaires

4. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna4 Analysis units All surveys – For use in standardisation All countries – To assess distribution across countries ‘Current’ surveys – To assess currency of overall findings

5. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna5 Findings – design overview Majority are cross-sectional surveys Eight panel surveys Five with a mixed design One third referred to question sets within multi- purpose surveys – What are the implications?

6. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna6 Overall surveys

7. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna7 Current surveys

8. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna8 Findings – mode by country 17 countries report paper-based face to face 10 countries report CAPI surveys 16 countries report CATI surveys (7 of these also run face to face surveys)

9. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna9 UK experience British Crime Survey: – Comparison of domestic violence results from CAPI and CASI on BCS – 5 times as high on CASI Scottish Crime Survey: – Comparison of paper face to face and CATI – higher victimsation rates on CATI

10. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna10 Findings – source of interviewers

11. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna11 Findings – sampling techniques 16 used simple probability sample 54 used multistage sampling with stratification Main stratifiers – Geographical area (44) – Degree of urbanisation (25) – Age / sex (18 for each) – US only one to stratify by police crime figures

12. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna12 Findings – household or individual selection Most countries interviewed only one person 52 surveys based on selection of households – 15 interviewed whole household – 37 interviewed one person only 24 surveys based on selection of individuals What effect will this have on measuring household crime?

13. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna13 Findings – interviewer gender

14. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna14 Findings – sample size Range from 400 to 60,000 households and from 333 to 75000 people 19 surveys included 10,000+ people and 6 other surveys included 10,000+ households Larger surveys tended to be multipurpose

15. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna15 Findings – 16 countries have surveys of 10,000+

16. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna16 Conclusions Considerable experience of different methodologies in design and sampling Many surveys based on large samples Use of in house external interviewers evenly divided Indications of the move away from paper but not face to face

17. 25.01.06UNECE-UNODC Vienna17 Contact details Jonathan.Allen@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk Alison.Walker@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk