Criminology
MODULE 2
Theories About Crime:
Public Perceptions of Crime Rates
Survey Data in
Teaching
enhancing critical thinking and data numeracy
July 2004
UK Data Archive, University of Essex
x4l@essex.ac.uk x4l.data-archive.ac.uk Version 1.0
Module 2
Theories About Crime:
Public Perceptions of Crime Rates
In this module:
There are different ways to record crime
The official report says that although crime is really falling, the public think it is increasing
When we look at time graphs the position is complex
A common explanation is that the media create unnecessary worry
There are other factors involved, such as social class
SECTION A: Measuring crime rates differently
The British Crime Survey (BCS) is a survey of a sample of the population that asks respondents in England and Wales about their personal experiences of crime over the previous 12 months. It is therefore sometimes referred to as a victimisation survey. Respondents provide answers to a set of questions, the individual details of which are confidential, which means they cannot be passed on to other organisations, for example, the police.
The British Crime Survey is considered by many experts to be more comprehensive and consistent than the police figures and thus a better indicator of the true level of crime in England and Wales.
“For the offences it covers, and the victims within its scope, the BCS gives a more complete estimate of crime in England and Wales since it covers both unreported and unrecorded crime and provides more reliable data on trends.”
(Simmons and Dodd, Home Office Statistical Bulletin, 2003, p.1)
“The BCS measures the amount of crime in England and Wales by asking people about crimes they have experienced in the last year. The BCS includes crimes which are not reported to the police, so it is an important alternative to police records. Victims do not report crime for various reasons. Without the BCS the government
Theories About Crime:
Public Perceptions of Crime Rates
Survey Data in
Teaching
enhancing critical thinking and data numeracy
July 2004
UK Data Archive, University of Essex
x4l@essex.ac.uk x4l.data-archive.ac.uk Version 1.0
Module 2
Theories About Crime:
Public Perceptions of Crime Rates
In this module:
There are different ways to record crime
The official report says that although crime is really falling, the public think it is increasing
When we look at time graphs the position is complex
A common explanation is that the media create unnecessary worry
There are other factors involved, such as social class
SECTION A: Measuring crime rates differently
The British Crime Survey (BCS) is a survey of a sample of the population that asks respondents in England and Wales about their personal experiences of crime over the previous 12 months. It is therefore sometimes referred to as a victimisation survey. Respondents provide answers to a set of questions, the individual details of which are confidential, which means they cannot be passed on to other organisations, for example, the police.
The British Crime Survey is considered by many experts to be more comprehensive and consistent than the police figures and thus a better indicator of the true level of crime in England and Wales.
“For the offences it covers, and the victims within its scope, the BCS gives a more complete estimate of crime in England and Wales since it covers both unreported and unrecorded crime and provides more reliable data on trends.”
(Simmons and Dodd, Home Office Statistical Bulletin, 2003, p.1)
“The BCS measures the amount of crime in England and Wales by asking people about crimes they have experienced in the last year. The BCS includes crimes which are not reported to the police, so it is an important alternative to police records. Victims do not report crime for various reasons. Without the BCS the government