Crime - Ways Of Measuring Crime Flashcards
(19 cards)
What are the three ways of measuring crime?
- Police recorded statistics (official statistics)
- Victim surveys
- Dark figure of crime
The dark figure of crime refers to crimes that are not recorded by the police and therefore not included in official statistics.
What do police recorded statistics represent?
Crimes recorded by the police - crimes the police know about and record.
These statistics can show trends in crime over time and across different areas.
What is an advantage of police recorded statistics?
Identify trends in recorded crime
* See if crime rates have increased over years
* Compare crime rates in different areas
* Tell us who offends
This includes insights into which groups have higher crime rates based on ethnicity and age.
What are victim surveys used for?
To gain insight into victims’ experiences of crime
They can reveal victims’ views of the police and attitudes towards crime.
What are the three stages a crime must go through to be included in police statistics?
- Detected
- Reported to the police
- Recorded by the police
If a crime is not reported, it will not be included in the statistics.
What is the ‘dark figure’ in crime statistics?
Crimes not recorded by the police.
This indicates that statistics do not offer a complete picture of crime.
What is a problem with victim surveys?
Many crimes are not reported to the police.
Victims may feel embarrassed or fear they won’t be believed, leading to underreporting.
What types of crimes are often underreported in victim surveys?
- Domestic violence
- White-collar crimes
- Sexual assaults
Victims may avoid reporting these crimes due to embarrassment or fear of disbelief.
True or False: Victim surveys always provide a true picture of crime.
False
Victim surveys may lack validity as victims might lie or have inaccurate memories.
Fill in the blank: Statistics are socially constructed and are the outcome of the decisions and choices of the _______ involved in creating them.
[people]
This includes police, witnesses, and victims.
What is a disadvantage of police recorded statistics?
They may not cover all crimes, leading to a lack of complete data.
For example, petty crimes might be deemed a waste of police time and not reported.
What are self-report studies?
Surveys asking people to admit to crimes they have committed.
How do respondents participate in self-report studies?
People are given a list of crimes and they tick any crimes they have committed.
What is one advantage of self-report studies?
Uncover some of the dark figure - find out some of the crimes not recorded by the police.
What type of crimes can self-report studies reveal?
Victimless crimes like illegal drug use.
What is a problem associated with self-report studies?
May lack validity - respondents might lie or exaggerate.
Why might respondents lie in self-report studies?
Fear they might get into trouble if they confess.
What is a limitation regarding the representativeness of self-report studies?
Most studies are only on young people and petty crimes.
What types of petty crimes are often reported in self-report studies?
Graffiti or shoplifting small value goods.
