NCJ Number
32673
Journal
SKEPTIC Issue: 4 Dated: (NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1974) Pages: 5-6 AND 8-9
Date Published
1974
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THE WAYS THAT POLICE, POLITICIANS, AND THE PRESS MISUSE UNRELIABLE FIGURES TO SUPPORT UNSUPPORTABLE CONCLUSIONS ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE FOLLOWING POINTS ARE DISCUSSED: CITIZENS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT CRIME, BUT THEY MAY BE RESPONDING AS MUCH TO THE POLITICAL ISSUE AS TO THE ACTUAL PROBLEM OF CRIME; POLITICIANS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF PROFESSIONAL CRIMEFIGHTING AGENCIES, ESPECIALLY THE POLICE, ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THE ISSUE OF CRIME; ASSESSMENT OF POLICE CRIME STATISTICS IS THE PRIMARY TECHNIQUE USED TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FEDERAL ANTICRIME PROGRAMS; THESE STATISTICS ARE ALSO SELF-SERVING MEASURES OF ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND A POOR INDEX OF THE TRUE INCIDENCE OF CRIME; IF AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CRIMEFIGHTING SYSTEM IS NOT COUNTER-BALANCED BY A CHANGE IN THE CRIME-REPORTING SYSTEM, THEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF REPORTED CRIMES SHOULD RESULT; THIS PARADOXICAL OUTCOME, HOWEVER, UNDERMINES THE IMAGE OF POLICE AS SUCCESSFUL CRIME FIGHTERS, THREATENS THEIR RESOURCES AND INTENSIFIES PUBLIC FEAR OF CRIME. ALL THESE UNWELCOME CONSEQUENCES CAN BE AVOIDED SIMPLY BY A MANIPULATION OF CRIME STATISTICS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)