NCJ Number
61789
Date Published
1979
Length
26 pages
Annotation
COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES OF POLICE STATISTICS VERSUS CITIZEN-BASED DATA ON CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND THE OPTIMAL ROLE OF THE SOCIAL SCIENTISTS IN THE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF SUCH DATA, ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
DATA FROM STUDIES CONDUCTED IN CHARLOTTE, N.C. AND OTHER CITIES DEMONSTRATE THE USEFULNESS OF CITIZEN-BASED DATA IN MEASUREMENT OF CRIME, DELIVERY OF POLICE SERVICES OTHER THAN LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND EVALUATION OF COMMUNITY PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS. IN CONTRAST, TRADITIONAL DATA SOURCES OFTEN PRODUCE FRAGMENTED AND CONTRADICTORY FINDINGS. POLICE STATISTICS ON CRIME, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE LIMITED TO REPORTED CRIMES AND THEREFORE MAY REFLECT ONLY REPORTING RATES. VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS, HOWEVER, CAN ACCURATELY REFLECT ALL CRIME. IN CHARLOTTE, SUCH SURVEYS REVEALED THAT THE VICTIMIZATION RATE FOR PART ONE OFFENSES WAS ALMOST TWICE THE RATE REFLECTED IN POLICE STATISTICS. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE USE OF CITIZEN-BASED SURVEYS SHOW THAT THEY PROVIDE COMMUNITIES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS WITH MORE ADEQUATE MEASUREMENTS AND DATA NOT AVAILABLE FROM OTHER SOURCES. TO USE ONLY AS TECHNICIANS, SOCIAL SCIENTISTS, WHO DEVELOPED THESE METHODS, IS TO UNDERUTILIZE THEIR SKILLS. SOCIAL SCIENTISTS SHOULD BE USED INSTEAD AS APPLIED SOCIAL ANALYSTS. THEY MUST ADVOCATE THIS ROLE FOR THEMSELVES AND MUST PARTICIPATE MORE FULLY IN THE CONDUCT OF CITIZEN-BASED STUDIES, USING BOTH THEIR CONCEPTUAL AND THEIR METHODOLOGICAL SKILLS. CHANGES IN BOTH THE ROLE OF THE SOCIAL SCIENTIST AND THE TYPE OF DATA COLLECTED WILL PRODUCE MORE ACCURATE AND USEFUL INFORMATION ON CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. SELECTED FINDINGS FROM VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS, POLICE SERVICE DELIVERY SURVEYS, AND PROGRAM EVALUATIONS, AND FOOTNOTES WHICH INCLUDE REFERENCES, ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)