Sources of Data on Crime (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Sociology): Flashcards
Exam code: C200
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Which body publishes official crime statistics for England and Wales?
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Cards in this collection (31)
Which body publishes official crime statistics for England and Wales?
The Office for National Statistics publishes the official crime statistics for England and Wales, after police forces report crime to the Home Office.
Define police-recorded crime.
Police-recorded crime is the set of offences that people report to the police and that the police log.
Which three things do official criminal statistics show about crime?
Official criminal statistics show the volume of crime, the main types of crime and the social characteristics of people reported, arrested or convicted.
How many crime incidents did the Crime Survey for England and Wales estimate for the year ending March 2026?
The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimated 9.6 million incidents in the year ending March 2026, with no statistically significant change from the year before (ONS, 2026).
What share of arrests were of males in the year ending March 2026?
In the year ending March 2026, 84% of arrests were of males and 16% of females (Home Office, 2026).
How did arrest rates for Black and White people compare in the year ending March 2026?
Police arrested Black people at 2.2 times the rate of White people in the year ending March 2026 (Home Office, 2026).
True or False?
Differences in arrest rates by sex, ethnicity and class simply reflect who commits crime.
False.
The ONS warns that these differences reflect policing practices and priorities, where crime is concentrated, population structures and social and economic inequalities.
How has property crime changed since the mid-1990s?
Property crime is much lower than in the mid-1990s, e.g. theft fell by 77% between 1995 and the year ending June 2026 (Crime Survey for England and Wales).
Define invisible crimes.
Invisible crimes are crimes that are unseen or unknown, so nobody can report them, e.g. domestic violence, online fraud and drug dealing.
True or False?
Police-recorded statistics give a valid picture of how much crime happens.
False.
Police-recorded statistics lack validity because they give an incomplete picture of how much crime actually happens.
Why might crimes discovered in workplaces not appear in official statistics?
Crimes discovered in workplaces might not appear in official statistics because employers may handle these crimes internally, e.g. by firing the employee, instead of reporting them to the police.
Why do many victims not report crimes to the police?
Many victims do not report crimes to the police because they may see the crime as too minor, believe the police can't or won't act, fear the consequences or feel embarrassed.
Even when a victim reports a crime, the police may not record it if they think it is too trivial or believe there is not enough ___________.
Even when a victim reports a crime, the police may not record it if they think it is too trivial or believe there is not enough evidence.
Define dark figure of crime.
The dark figure of crime refers to unreported and unrecorded crimes, so sociologists treat police statistics with caution.
Why may a rise in police-recorded crime not mean more crime is happening?
A rise in police-recorded crime may not mean more crime is happening because it may reflect better recording practices, greater awareness of certain crimes or improved police sensitivity that encourages more victims to report.
Define victim survey.
A victim survey asks people about their experiences of crime, e.g. the Crime Survey for England and Wales.
How does the Crime Survey for England and Wales select its addresses?
The Crime Survey for England and Wales selects addresses randomly from Royal Mail's list of addresses.
Why does the Crime Survey for England and Wales also survey 10 to 15-year-olds?
The survey includes 10 to 15-year-olds so that children's experiences of crime are also measured.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales is useful because it includes crimes that victims have not ___________ to the police.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales is useful because it includes crimes that victims have not reported to the police.
True or False?
The Crime Survey for England and Wales covers every type of police-recorded crime.
False.
The survey excludes murder, victimless crimes such as drug possession and crimes against businesses, such as shoplifting.
Why may data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales lack validity?
Data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales may lack validity because respondents may forget trivial crimes or lie about reporting a crime to the police.
Why is the Crime Survey for England and Wales not fully representative?
The Crime Survey for England and Wales is not representative of the target population because it does not question people who are homeless or living in care homes or prisons.
Which age group has the highest risk of violence?
16 to 24-year-olds have the highest risk of violence: 2.4% were victims in the year ending March 2026, compared with 1.3% of all adults (ONS).
True or False?
Women are more likely than men to suffer violent attacks from strangers.
False.
Men are more likely to suffer violent attacks, especially from strangers, while women face a higher risk of domestic violence, sexual assault and harassment.
How does social class affect the risk of victimisation?
Social class affects the risk of victimisation because the poorest groups face higher risks of violent crime and are far more likely to be victims of burglary than wealthier households.
Why are minority ethnic groups less likely to report crimes?
Minority ethnic groups are less likely to report crimes because of distrust of the police and fears of not being taken seriously.
Minority ethnic groups face a greater risk of ___________ motivated crime, over-policing and harassment.
Minority ethnic groups face a greater risk of racially motivated crime, over-policing and harassment.
Define self-report study.
A self-report study asks people about the crimes they have committed, even if they were never caught or punished.
What did the Offending, Crime and Justice Survey measure?
The Offending, Crime and Justice Survey (Home Office, 2003-2006) measured self-reported offending, drug use and anti-social behaviour, particularly among people aged 10 to 25.
How do self-report studies help reveal the dark figure of crime?
Self-report studies highlight crimes that are unreported or unrecorded in official crime statistics.
True or False?
Self-report studies give a full picture of the most serious offenders.
False.
Self-report studies often exclude the most serious or persistent offenders, who are less likely to take part, so they under-represent these groups.
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