criminology wjec a level unit 1 controlled assessment
changing awareness of crime
lo1 lo3 criminology unit 1
Written for
A/AS Level
WJEC
Criminology
Changing Awareness of Crime
All documents for this subject (389)
2
reviews
By: samthekarateman • 9 months ago
By: callumchamberlain • 7 months ago
Seller
Follow
miaalunt
Reviews received
Content preview
Mia Lunt
AC 1.6 - Evaluate methods of collecting statistics about crime
Traditionally there are two methods of measuring and tracking crime trends, which are official
statistics collected by the police (home office) and the information collected in the crime survey for
England and Wales (CSEW). The purpose of collecting crime statistics is to help decisions regarding
police priorities, spot patters and trends of crime, assess if sentences are effective, identify likely
victims and protect them and to understand the causes of crime.
It is important for crime date to be reliable and valid. For data to be reliable it must be consistent
with the data collected and it must be accurate so its therefore trustworthy. For data to be valid it
must give a true measurement and description of what is happening. It is important for crime data
to be reliable and valid as it would otherwise be useless to the police and the public would lose trust
in the police.
The home office provides police recorded crime in tables which contain recorded crime figures broke
down by the offence type, location and time period. This method of collecting crime statistics has
both strengths and weaknesses. For example, the police can use this information to detect and
predict crimes before or as they happen meaning overall that type of crime should decrease and it
allows for police to see where to prioritise their resources where they are most needed. This will
save time but also money as funds will only be allocated to what needs it most. Another benefit of
home office official statistics is that it allows comparisons between different areas meaning police
can be deployed and take immediate action in areas that are higher risk for crime taking place. For
example, if drug dealing was more prevalent in the North police could focus their time around these
specific areas and even deploy undercover officers to catch more criminals and decrease the levels
of crime. However, this method also has disadvantages such as the police don’t record all reported
crime and unreported crime is not included in these statistics, and according to the HMIC this is
usually around 800,00 crimes per year. This shows how it is very difficult to get an accurate image of
where and how frequently crime occurs, so therefore lacks some validity. Additionally, variations in
recording practices reduces the effectiveness of yearly comparisons as different methods will
produce different results, highlighting how this method is not always reliable as it lacks consistency.
The crime survey for England and Wales (CSEW) asks a randomly selected sample of roughly 50,000
people about their personal experiences with crime and how they were affected by it. The main
advantage of the CSEW is that it included unreported crime meaning it is more accurate and has
more validity than the home office official statistics. Also, the CSEW relies on the direct knowledge of
the victim that might be more accurate than the police interpreted information as they are recalling
something that personally happened to them. This means a more accurate image of where crime
occurs will be able to be created which could also prevent this type of crime in the future and
protect likely victims. The CSEW also identifies those who are most at risk and informs them of crime
prevention schemes so the most suitable and informed plan can be made to protect people and
decrease crime. Furthermore, the CSEW is also very ethical as it ensures all the data collected is kept
entirely confidential and it’s anonymous meaning it is more likely to have validity as people have no
reason to lie if they won’t be identified. Also, due to the large sample the survey looks at it captures
a large amount of unreported crime meaning it is more accurate than the police records. However,
there are weaknesses of this method such as the failure to capture victimless crimes such as drug
sales and hidden crimes such as domestic abuse, meaning it also has some inaccuracy and give a full
picture of all crime. Also, the CSEW solely relies on victim’s memory of crime and this leaves room
for inaccuracy as victims may have forgotten details about what happened meaning it lacks validity.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying this summary from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller miaalunt. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy this summary for R78,14. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
