NCJ Number
60225
Journal
Deviance et societe Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (1977) Pages: 3-27
Date Published
1977
Length
25 pages
Annotation
THE VALIDITY OF CRIME STATISTICS IS QUESTIONED AND AN IMPROVEMENT IN ACCURACY IS SUGGESTED.
Abstract
THE HARSHEST CRITICISM OF CRIME STATISTICS HAS SO FAR IGNORED THE MOST BASIC QUESTION--WHETHER THE DATA CAN BE CONSIDERED AS A MEASUREMENT OF CRIME AT ALL. POSSIBLY, AN ANALYSIS OF HOW CRIME STATISTICS ARE OBTAINED CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION. CRIMINAL STATISTICS ARE USUALLY PRODUCED BY FOUR AGENCIES: THE POLICE, THE PROSECUTION, THE COURTS, AND CORRECTIONS. WHETHER AN OFFENSE REACHES ANY OF THESE COMPONENTS DEPENDS ON TWO FACTORS: THE REPORTING OF THE CRIME AND THE SURVIVAL OF THE DATA IN THE PENAL PROCESS. WHETHER A CRIME IS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE POLICE AT ALL DEPENDS ON ITS VISIBILITY AND ON THE EXISTENCE OF A PERSON TO REPORT THE CASE (USUALLY THE VICTIM). WHETHER A REPORTED OFFENSE CONTINUES TO BE PRESERVED ON THE RECORDS DEPENDS ON A VARIETY OF SCARCELY RESEARCHED FACTORS: THE DECISION OF THE POLICE TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THE OFFENDER, THE PROSECUTOR'S DECISION OF THE POLICE TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THE OFFENDER, THE PROSECUTOR'S DECISION TO PROSECUTE, AND THE CONVICTION RATHER THAN THE ACQUITTAL OF THE OFFENDER. IN ORDER TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN CRIME STATISTICS AND ACTUAL CRIME RATES, EXPERTS ATTEMPT TO ESTIMATE UNREPORTED CRIMES THROUGH VICTIM AND OFFENDER SURVEYS; HOWEVER, THE RESULTS ARE NEITHER ACCURATE NOR REPRESENTATIVE. INDIRECT APPROACHES (E.G., THROUGH CRIME COST ANALYSIS OR DEMOGRAPHIC STUDIES) HAVE YIELDED ACCURATE RESULTS, BUT ONLY WORK FOR PARTICULAR TYPES OF OFFENSES. CRIME STATISTICS--ALTHOUGH VALUABLE AT TIMES--ARE INACCURATE AND MISLEADING, BUT EXPERTS MUST CONTINUE TO PERFECT THEM. THE ARTICLE CONTAINS FOOTNOTES. --IN FRENCH. (SAJ)