“Despite all the problems associated with their use, crime statistics created by governments remain one of the most useful sources of data regarding criminal and deviant behaviour”
Crime statistics published by the Home Office provide information regarding crime rates, the trends of which ethnicity, social class, areas in the country that commit the highest rates crime. The method that is used to collate the data. Quantitative methods such as questionnaires and secondary data are used by positivists (who see sociology as a science) which means that the problems with the methods used relate to the problems with crime statistics. There are many problems with official statistics, especially when they are showing trends in crime. The problems however, do not outweigh the beneficial factors that come with using crime statistics.
Crime statistics is the type of data that is collected over long periods of time. The government publishes the data annually, which allows sociologists to compare the trends and patterns shown and see how they differ over time. This is significant because it means that sociologists that work for the government can see which policies are having an effect on crime rates and thus identify the social distribution of crime in society. Furthermore, On the other hand, crime statistics are a secondary source of data which means they are inexpensive and easily accessed. On the other hand, the usefulness of statistics and a question of their validity have been posed by sociologists that hold a interpretivist perspective. Due to the fact that crime statistics are described as ‘soft statistics’ because they are easily manipulated. The definition of ‘crime’ can change, such as not including ‘petty’ crimes. They have been criticised by Marxists (such as Karl Marx) and Feminists (Oakley) in the way that we don’t know what the statistics are actually measuring. Regardless of these factors, positivists such as Durkheim see statistics as an irreplaceable source of data because of the trends that can become apparent when you see statistics. To further the point that crime statistics can be manipulated would be Becker. Becker
Crime statistics is the type of data that is collected over long periods of time. The government publishes the data annually, which allows sociologists to compare the trends and patterns shown and see how they differ over time. This is significant because it means that sociologists that work for the government can see which policies are having an effect on crime rates and thus identify the social distribution of crime in society. Furthermore, On the other hand, crime statistics are a secondary source of data which means they are inexpensive and easily accessed. On the other hand, the usefulness of statistics and a question of their validity have been posed by sociologists that hold a interpretivist perspective. Due to the fact that crime statistics are described as ‘soft statistics’ because they are easily manipulated. The definition of ‘crime’ can change, such as not including ‘petty’ crimes. They have been criticised by Marxists (such as Karl Marx) and Feminists (Oakley) in the way that we don’t know what the statistics are actually measuring. Regardless of these factors, positivists such as Durkheim see statistics as an irreplaceable source of data because of the trends that can become apparent when you see statistics. To further the point that crime statistics can be manipulated would be Becker. Becker