Interpreting Crime StatisticsMonica A. Walker The book demonstrates the importance of understanding the processes behind statistical tabulations, clarifying the meaning of the statistics available in several areas of criminal statistics by asking experts in numerous fields to contribute their knowledge. The emphasis throughout is on clarity of the construction and meaning of data, rather than on the details of the meaning of individual findings. Authors discuss such questions as: Should the public be concerned that the police detection rate for crimes in the UK has dropped from 44% in 1962 to just 26% in 1992? That depends on how one views the figures; the former represents less than a third of the number of crimes detected in 1992, and hides a large increase in the detention rate per officer. If conviction rates for non-serious offencers for men is six times that of women prior to the age of 21, but only twice that of women over 21, does that mean that women typically take to crime at a later age? Not exactly - three quarters of those female offences consisted of failing to possess a TV licence - and the licence inspectors prosecute whoever answers the door when they visit a household without a licence. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Criminal justice and offenders | 24 |
The police | 44 |
Copyright | |
9 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
age groups arrests average British Crime Survey burglary cautioned cent changes Chapter classification clear-up rate commenced committed community service orders compared convicted counted court appearance covariates criminal damage Criminal Justice Act criminal justice system Criminal Statistics Criminology Crown Court Crown Prosecution Service custodial sentence dealt drugs England and Wales estimated ethnic example factors figures HMSO Home Office Research Home Office Statistical HOSB household incidents included increase indictable offences infanticide less licence logistic regression London Lord Chancellor's Department magistrates manslaughter motoring offences murder notifiable offences number of offences offence type offences recorded overall Parole Board percentage prediction score prison population Prison Service Prison Statistics probation orders Probation Service Probation Statistics proportion reconviction recorded as homicide recorded offences release remand reoffending reported risk robbery sample serious Statistics 1991 summary offences supervision orders suspect Table tenced theft tion total number trends TV licence vehicle victim forms women
References to this book
Doing Time: An Introduction to the Sociology of Imprisonment Roger Matthews No preview available - 1999 |
Planning for Crime Prevention: A Transatlantic Perspective Ted Kitchen,Richard H Schneider No preview available - 2001 |