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introduction
collected by government agencies, crime data primarily gathered by the police. quantitative data providing an overview of crime rates and trends. primary forms include reported crimes and convictions.
strengths of official statistics
large scale, nationwide data, allowing for comparisons over time and between regions. can be used to identify patterns and trends contributing to informed policy making.
limitations of official statistics
dark figure of crime. manipulation of data for political or institutional reasons. may reflect police biases more than actual crime rates, certain groups may be targeted more often (labelling theory). mostly cover street crime, overlook white-collar or corporate crimes.
improving accuracy of crime statistics
the CSEW was introduced to provide a more accurate picture of crime by surveying victims. CSEW has limitations, under-reporting of certain crimes, reliance on memory, no coverage of victimless crimes.
interpreting official statistics
important to critically analyse official statistics and be aware of their potential limitations. context and methodology is key to drawing conclusions from any crime data. trends should be cross-verified with other forms of data and research to maintain objectivity and accuracy.
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